Notes

Additional Physical Form:

Also available on microfilm from the University of Florida.

Dates or Sequential Designation:

Vol. 95, no. 4 (Oct. 5, 1967)-

Funding:

Funded in part by the University of Florida, the Library Services and Technology Assistance granting program of Florida, the State Library and Archives of Florida, and other institutions and individuals.

Record Information

Source Institution:

University of Florida

Holding Location:

University of Florida

Rights Management:

All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.

Related Items

This item is only available as the following downloads:

LOCALCCBA builds new room at Humane Society, 6A. CALL US: (386) 752-1293 SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Vol. 140, No. 95 TODAYS WEATHER Opinion . . . . . . 4A Local . . . . . . . 6A Obituaries . . . . . 5A Advice & Comics . . 3D Puzzles . . . . . . . 4B SPORTSBabe Ruth Baseball Champs, 3B. 90 68Storm chance, 10A Lake City ReporterSUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.50 LAKECITYREPORTER.COM SUNDAY EDITION NAACP holds annual Freedom Fund Luncheon.9A Foreign Trade Zone in the works.1DBest of the Best: Ballot inside7A By SARAH LOFTUSsloftus@lakecityreporter.comIn the wake of an investigation into sexual misconduct by two students at Niblack Elementary School in 2012 and 2013, Supt. Terry Huddleston said the incidents would be reported to state officials if they occurred today. He previously said school officials had no duty to report the cases, which involved the same two students, to the state Department of Children and Families. The incidents, said to be consensual by school officials, were reported to county law enforcement. Both involved a 9-year-old boy touching an 11-year-old classmate inappropriately through her clothes. The second incident occurred off-campus, school officials said. In a June 3 letter summarizing an investigative report on District reverses course on sex cases Now, consensual incidents will be reported to DCF.By SARAH LOFTUSsloftus@lakecityreporter.comDistrict officials are pursuing truancy charges against two more parents whose children missed too much school, said Keith Hatcher, the district director of adult education, truancy and charter schools. The parents have not been arrested and their names have not been released. Another local woman, Patty Bell Gaines, was arrested in January for truancy, but Third Circuit State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister said procedural issues required dismissal of the case. Cracking down on parents who dont keep their kids in school is one element of the districts Every Child, Every Seat, Every Day program, initiated last fall by Hatcher.Schools fight on against truancy District seeking charges against 2 more parents. TRUANCY continued on 6AINSIDEHuddleston comments on his pick at Pinemount. NIBLACK continued on 8A Quentin FryeTo Quentin Frye, fatherhood cannot be defined in just one word, or even in one sentence. I think fatherhood is a lot of things, he said. Its spending time with your kids, believing in your kids, taking care of your kids. Its always being there for them. Frye said he likes being a father because he enjoys watching his 9-yearold son Brayden grow. Being a good example is the most valuable thing a father can offer his child, he said. When I see him be polite in a store, or be respectful, or show love to his mom, I feel like I have succeeded, Frye said. I feel like he is following my lead, and that makes me so proud of him. He said being a father is more important now than ever before. You have to be a role model for your kids, he said. There are so many things happening in the world today, you have to be someone who cares enough to look after them and lead them. This means monitoring the games they play, how they do in school, what they watch on TV and more, he said. Braydon confirmed his dad is doing a fine job at parenting. He cares for me a lot, Brayden said of his father. We play basketball together a lot, and he always buys me cool things I like when Im good. David GuadagnoliI cant tell you much about my dad, because he passed away, said 7-year-old Jonathan Conner. But I can tell you about my grandpa. His grandfather, David Guadagnoli, said he believes values and the importance of education are the most important lessons someone can teach a child. [Jonathan] does great at both, he said. And Im proud of him for that. Jonathan said he only missed one day of school during the 2013-14 school year. He also was an A honor roll student. Jonathan said when hes not in school, his favorite thing to do is help his grandpa work in the yard. We dig holes and stuff, he said, adding that sometimes they plant flowers for grandma, too. Jonathans grandparents bragged about his tomato plants until he finally revealed how many he is growing. I have 46 tomatoes on five plants, Jonathan said. They arent ready yet, but Ill eat them when they are. Jonathan said his favorite thing about his grandpa is that he works hard every day. For Fathers Day, he planned to take a now-familiar trip to Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Ga. with his grandparents. We have season passes, Jonathan said. By EMILY STANTONestanton@lakecityreporter.comThe qualifying period for the Columbia County primary election starts Monday at noon and runs until Friday at noon. The positions open are U.S. Representative District 3, State Representative District 10, County Commission districts 2 and 4, School Board districts 1, 3 and 5, City Council districts 10 and 14, county attorney and Santa Fe soil and water conservation district groups 2 and 4. Candidates who have already qualified by petition must bring their petition certification, a completed form 1 or 6, which are financial disclosure documents, and loyalty oaths, which indicate how the candidate wants his or her name to appear on the ballot. Candidates who did not complete a petition must fill out a DS-DE9, which appoints a campaign treasurer and chooses a bank for their campaign account. A check must be made from the account to pay the qualifying fee. Candidates must then fill out a form 1 or form 6, depending on the position they are seeking, and loyalty oaths. Candidates running for a city position must also submit an affidavit of residency. Most candidates choose the petition route, but Columbia County has had a few candidates enter during the qualifying period, said Liz Horne, Columbia County Supervisor of Elections. Early voting for the primary will be Aug. 16-23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Election day is Aug. 26. Primary election qualifying starts Monday Election day for the county is August 26. Antonio BrownAntonio Brown wants to leave behind a fatherhood legacy. Its always a legacy, he said. When Im gone, I want my kids to think to raise their kids how they were raised. Working at a prison, he sees fathers who are unable or unfit to take care of their children on a daily basis. Its very rare that you see real fathers nowadays, Brown said. Fathers that are in their childs life. Brown said it is imperative for children and fathers to live in the same home. These days, kids look to TV, athletes and movie stars to find their role models, he said. They should be able to find a positive role model in the home. Browns 11-year-old son, Shyhein, said his favorite things to do with his dad are play basketball in the park or watch a movie from Redbox together. Theres just a lot of things I like about him, Shyhein said of his dad. So many I dont even think I could name them all. Brown said he is especially proud of his son right now because his academic and conduct grades both improved this school year. Hes an 11-year-old boy, so of course hes mischievous at times, but overall he is a great kid, he said. And I just think thats a testament to having a father in the household. Brown said that to him, Fathers Day is not gifts or celebration, it is being able to be there for his kids. There are few fathers today who take the time to take care of their kids, he said. I just thank God that Im able to. Jack Gherna:Jack Gherna said becoming a father two years ago changed his life completely forever and for the better. The day he was born is definitely the most profound experience that Ive ever had in my entire life, he said. Everything changed that moment. His wife Corinne said her husband lucked out, as she remembers him being the first to hold their now 2-year-old son Cooper. Right after he was born, he took him to the window and said Thats the world out there, and Im gonna teach you all about it, she said. Both Gherna and his wife said that having their son has shown them that having kids really does change your life, but that the change is good. You appreciate different things, Corinne Gherna said. You can still have your own life, but mostly your life becomes theirs. Gherna said the one hope he has for Cooper is that life brings him joy. I just want him to be happy, he said. If hes happy, thats all that matters to me. SNAPSHOTS OF DAD continued on 9A Editors note: Local fathers along with sons and daughters shared their memories, as well as the meaning, for them, of fatherhood, with staff writer Megan Reeves at various locations in Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Their comments proved moving and insightful.Illustration by EMILY LAWSON/Lake City Reporter

PAGE 2

2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 FORT LAUDERDALE A small dog is recovering after falling 16 stories from a South Florida condominium. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue workers say Susie, a Maltipoo, fell through a pipe chase and landed on a piece of concrete in the pipe chase on the second floor. Fire crews cut holes above and below the second floor to try to reach Susie. They eventu ally removed her from the shaft before she fell any further. She is being treated at an ani mal hospital. Her condition was not known. Handcuffed suspect hit by vehicle NAPLES  Authorities say a handcuffed suspect was hit by a vehicle after fleeing the scene of a southwest Florida grow house bust. The Collier County Sheriffs Office reports that detectives had been watching 27-year-old Ivan Pedroso Mondeja and 43-year-old Vladimir Castilla Venegas at a Golden Gate Estates home Thursday. Once the Miami-Dade County men left, they were picked up during a traffic stop, while deputies executed a search warrant at the home. Deputies reported finding 72 marijuana plants valued at $216,000. At some point, officials say Mondeja ran away from the scene, still in handcuffs. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that he was hit by a vehicle after running into the street. He was hospitalized and listed in stable condition later Thursday. The Naples Daily News reports that Mondeja and Venegas face two counts of mari juana trafficking. New staff hired after jail explosion PENSACOLA  Escambia County officials have hired a new doctor, several nurses and two mental health agencies to treat prisoners in the wake of a deadly gas explosion at the jail. County Administrator Jack Brown says the county is investi gating allegations that prisoners experienced excessive waits for medical attention or were given over-the-counter painkillers instead of appropriate treatment. The Pensacola News-Journal reports several inmates and their family members said prisoners sometimes waited hours for treatment and were allegedly given an aspirin and sent back to their cell. Under the current contract, nearly three dozen additional medical staff can be brought in and stay as long as needed. Two inmates died and a cor rections officer was paralyzed in the April blast. Nearly 200 other people were injured. Woman steals lobster tails from Publix DELAND A central Florida woman faces petit theft charges after officials say she stuffed seven frozen lobster tails in her pants and walked out of a Publix supermarket without paying for them. A loss prevention officer at the DeLand Publix told police he watched 30-year-old Nichole Ann Reed put the lobster tails into her pants on Wednesday eve ning. He says she walked around the store before leaving. Police found her about an hour later. Reed told them she went to the store with the inten tion of stealing the lobster tails, which were valued at $83.99. According to a police report, she said she planned to trade the lobster with a friend to get either a Chinese buffet or the prescrip tion pain medication Dilaudid. She posted $250 bail. It wasnt clear whether shed obtained a lawyer. Top teen weightlifter on to nationals FORT MYERS  A 16-yearold southwest Florida teen ranked as the top lifter in her division is competing in the USA Weightlifting Youth National. Adrian Dougherty doesnt look like your typical weightlift er. The 5-foot-2 teen works at a doughnut shop on weekends and is on her high school math team. But she can snatch 134 pounds and can clean and jerk 182. Thats almost 1 times her body weight. Shell compete Saturday night in Port Orange. Dougherty, a former swimmer who started lifting at age 14, says a 2012 clin ic with USA Weightlifting coach Danny Camargo helped her real ize her potential. The Fort Myers News-Press reports she has her sights on the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Man dies after lightning strike MILTON Authorities say a man is dead after being struck by lightning at a Florida Panhandle blueberry farm. Santa Rosa County officials say the man was hit Friday morning at a farm in Milton. He was taken to a nearby hospital in cardiac arrest and pronounced dead. Officials didnt immediate ly name the man but said he was in his 70s. The National Weather Service reports that remnants of storms that had struck the Mobile, Alabama, area earlier Friday morning area were moving through the area at the time of the strike. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS HOW TO REAC H USMain number ....... (386) 752-1293 Fax number ............. 752-9400 Circulation .............. 755-5445 Online .. www lakecityreporter com The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of Community Newspapers Inc., is pub lished Tuesday through Friday and Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation and The Associated Press. All material herein is property of the Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the permis sion of the publisher. U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lake City Reporter, P.O. Box 1709, Lake City, Fla. 32056. Publisher Todd Wilson .... 754-0418 (twilson@lakecityreporter.com)NEWSEditor Robert Bridges .... 754-0428 (rbridges@lakecityr e porter.com)A DVERT IS ING ........ 752-1293 (ads@lakecityr e porter.com)CL ASSIFI EDTo place a classified ad, call 755-5440B USINESSController Sue Brannon ... 754-0419 (sbrannon@lakecityreporter.com)CI RCU L AT IONHome delivery of the Lake City Reporter should be completed by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.Please call 386-755-5445 to report any problems with your delivery service.In Columbia County, customers should call before 10:30 a.m. to report a ser vice error for same day re-delivery. After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery or ser vice related credits will be issued.In all other counties where home delivery is available, next day re-delivery or ser vice related credits will be issued.Circulation .............. 755-5445 (circulation@lakecityreporter.com)Home delivery rates(Tuesday -Friday and Sunday)12 Weeks .................. $26.32 24 Weeks ................... $48.79 52 Weeks ................... $83.46Rates include 7% sales tax.Mail rates12 Weeks .................. $41.40 24 Weeks ................... $82.80 52 Weeks .................. $179.40 Lake City Reporter Winning Lottery Numbers Cash 3: (Saturday) 3-4-7 Play 4: (Saturday) 5-5-3-2 Fantasy 5: (Friday) 2-6-14-15-23 Florida Lotto: (Wednesday) 14-21-31-42-45-52-x3 PowerBall: (Wednesday) 14-18-25-33-49-23-x5COURTESYMock job fair at Lake City Correction FacilityCorrection Corporation of Americas Lake City Correctional Faci lity recently hosted a mock job fair. Residents who are set to be released within the next six months were given the opportunity to be in terviewed by volunteers from local businesses to pre pare themselves for re-entry into society. Representatives from Lowes, Florida Gateway College, Probation and Parol e, Career Source and the Social Security Administration spent the day intera cting with the inmates. Front row, from left: Amanda Schulz, Florida Gateway College; Toni Briley, Florida Gateway College; Je b Stewart, Lake City Probation and Parole; Thomas Durkin, Social Security Administration; Denise Wynne, Career Source Flo rida Crown; Harry Strohmetz, Lake City Probation and Parole. Back row, from left: Lawanda Williams, Lowes of Live Oak; Jhak ira Russell, Lowes of Lake City; Jeff Bowe, Assistant Warden of Programs, Lake City Correctional Facility; and James Corn ell, Principal, Lake City Correctional Facility. Fire crews rescue dog after 16-story fall from condo AROUND FLORIDA The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question or suggestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will run in this space. And thanks for reading. See an error? The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption information to run on this page at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture and information to associate editor Emily Lawson at elawson@lakecityreporter.com. SubmissionsCOURTESYGraduates of the Wetlands module: Sally Ann Collins, Gray Gossman Jeanne Gossman, Elieen Greene*, Joseph Greene, Lamar Greene*, Sherry Harmon*, Linda He adley, Susan Howell*, Kit Lane, John Middleton, Gale Pierce, Cynthia Sandlin, Susan Steinhorst*, Ju dy Turner, Debra Wiess. *Denotes students who have completed all three modules and are certified as Fl orida Master Naturalists. Christie moves past scandal with comedy NEWARK, N.J.  Gov. Chris Christies latest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon not only proved the man can bust a move and take a joke. It also provid ed an opportunity for the potential Republican presidential contender to put the traffic scandal in his rear-view mirror. Christie poked fun at himself and the George Washington Bridge furor on Thursday night during his first late-night TV appearance since the story that has cast a cloud over his 2016 White House prospects broke several months ago. Wearing a polo shirt and pleated, high-waisted khakis, he swiveled his hips and threw up his hands as he and Fallon demonstrated dorky, mid dle-aged dance moves in a comedy bit called The Evolution of Dad Dancing. When Fallon began to show off a move called the This Bridge Is Closed, the governor pretended to walk off the stage in a huff. Later on the program, Christie joked that as bad as the lane-closing scan dal has been, the dance performance was far more humiliating to his family because I actually did that. Kanye West returns to Bonnaroo; Kim in tow MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP)  With new wife Kim Kardashian looking on along with 80,000 fans, Kanye West showed up pretty much on time at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The show comes six years after West famously began his first Bonnaroo appearance at 4:30 a.m. following tech nical delays with his set. West men tioned that appearance, again skewer ing Pearl Jam for delaying his start and the media he says inaccurately por trayed the reasons for his late start. Scripture of the Day When I hear somebody sigh that life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, compared to what?  Sydney J. Harris, American journalist for the Chicago Daily News and later the Chicago Sun-Times (191 7-1986) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.  Philippians 3:20-21 Thought for Today Q Associated Press Q Associated Press From staff reports Sixteen students last week graduated from the Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) Freshwater Wetlands Module at a cer emony at the Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Prior to this recognition, students presented their final research projects on a wide variety of wetland-re lated topics. The module is offered by UF/IFAS  Columbia County Cooperative Extension in conjunction with Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Each graduate received a UF/IFAS certificate of achievement, an embroi dered FMNP patch and Wetlands lapel pin, and registration in the UF/IFAS FMNP database as a Wetlands Naturalist. The objectives of the Wetlands Module are to prepare participants to share their knowledge with others, to act in a posi tive manner, to help others feel a greater connection to the land and to help others develop their own personal ethics. Students received train ing through 40 contact hours of classroom instruc tion, field trips, and practi cal interpretive experiences related to the general ecol ogy, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conser vation issues of Freshwater Wetlands in Florida, which include marshes, swamps, and permanent wetlands (lakes, rivers, and streams). In addition, the course addresses the role of soci ety in wetlands, develops naturalist interpretation skills, and discusses envi ronmental ethics. This FMNP Wetland Module is one of three modules required by the University of Florida / IFAS Extension for stu dents to become certified Florida Master Naturalists. In total, students must successfully complete 120 hours of training to become certified Master Naturalists. The next module will be the Upland Habitats which will be conducted in September  October 2014. Details of future course offerings will be posted online at http://confer ence.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/. Contact Derek Barber at the Columbia County Extension office, 386-752-5384 for more information about the modules.16 graduate from Wetlands Module UF/IFAS COLUMBIA COUNTY

PAGE 3

By SARAH LOFTUSsloftus@lakecityreporter.comLocal officials met Thursday evening to discuss what needs to be done to the Columbia County Detention Facility. The groups final objective is to determine whether the current jail can be renovated to meet county needs or if a new facility will need to be built, Columbia County Manager Dale Williams said. In 2006, officials had a plan to build a new $35 million jail, but that fell through because of the recession, Williams said. Eight years later, a different group of public officials met to once again to discuss the matter. The meeting acted as a forum for public officials to talk about how the jail could be improved. However, no decisions were made. Officials simply vocalized their concerns over the jail and its current state of disrepair. Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter, CCSO Chief Correctional Officer Joe Lucas, State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister, Public Defender Blair Payne and Chief County Judge Tom Coleman were a few of the officials at the meeting. All in attendance agreed that the current jail has problems, and almost all who spoke said the current facilitys 250-person capacity was not large enough. Hunter suggested that if a new facility is built, it should have 500 beds, double the size of the current one, and should be built so that its easy to add on to. Im trying to use good business sense to do this, he said. Hunter and Lucas said the jail is poorly laid out. Hunter said CCSO, which now runs the jail, is limited by the physical design of the building. He said legal restrictions about which inmates can be kept where have led to problems with overcrowding. Women and men must be separated as well as juveniles and adults. That means some areas of the jail are overfilled, while others are mostly empty. Payne said hes also concerned about the current design of the jail and ease of access to inmates. Lucas said if they do decide to build a new jail, theyll have to figure out where to put inmates while the new facility is built. Williams and Hunter said it would take three-four years to build a new facility once construction starts. Williams asked all members of the council to send him in writing their thoughts about the jails functionality and the possibility of building a new facility. He asked to have those statements by June 26. Williams will compile those statements for the public safety coordinating councils next meeting, which will be sometime in July or August, he said. While officials began discussing what they would want in a new jail, Williams, who led the meeting, urged officials to take it one step at a time and carefully consider whether a new jail is necessary. He said the 2006-plan for a new jail didnt seem wellthought out to him. They said they needed to build a new jail before going through the process to see if that was the best option, he said. Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 3A 934 NE Lake DeSoto Circle, Lake City, FL(Next to Courthouse) ATTENTION DESOTO PRESCRIPTION PATIENTS:At Baya, we still offer Friendly, Personalized Customer Service And Free Delivery. Plus, well make it easy for you to switch all your medications, including $4 Generics. Baya East780 SE Baya Dr. 386.755.6677Baya West1465 W. US Hwy. 90 386.755.2233Family Owned & Operated Officials discuss options for jail Overcrowding cited as one reason to build new facility. By TONY BRITTtbritt@lakecityreporter.comThe Columbia County School District will be in charge of maintaining its own high school football fields, but will use equipment purchased and owned by the county for upkeep of the facilities. After paying more than $110,000 for improvements and equipment purchases for the football fields at Columbia High School and Fort White High School, the school board and county were working on an agreement for the county to maintain both fields if the school board would pay for it. The county proposal was to maintain both fields at an annual cost of $93,696.04. It already spent $64,626 getting the field back in shape after decades of neglect. The school district, which has spent $22,137.34 since July 1, 2013 maintaining fields at five different schools, including CHS and FWHS, declined the offer and will maintain the field on its own, though with the use of equipment purchased by the county for that purpose. Bryan Allen, who just completed his third year as head football coach at CHS, says he wont allow the field to fall into disrepair. As long as Im here the field wont go backwards, Allen said. I promise Ill outwork every coach who has ever been here as far as the maintenance of the fields and that they stay in the shape they need to be in. Thats one of the things I want done and Im extremely picky about how our fields look. Allen, who graduated CHS in 1995-96, said the stadium was built in 1994, but that the field hadnt been re-sodded or re-turfed since. With our field being done its kind of a reflection on who we are as a team, Allen said. It not only reflects the success weve had as a program, but at the same time it builds the morale of a group of kids each year going out to compete against different teams week in and week out. Allen noted the CHS soccer team also plays its games on the field and the schools annual commencement exercises are held there as well. Its not just a reflection of the football program, because football doesnt have sole use of the field, but it benefits us, he said. It goes along with the motto I have: You look good. You feel good. You play good. He said the community also benefits from a well-maintained facility. They benefit when they come to watch their children, grandchildren, cousins, family and friends graduate, that the place is a nice site, Allen said. The grass is manicured, the sidewalks are tapered off and its looks nice. Its representative not only of our school and that graduating class, but as a community, who are helping to pay taxes to get it fixed. Its not just a football thing, but the community benefits from it as well. The county chose to step in earlier this year when commissioners noted the fields poor condition and that the school district did not have the funds to repair it. Although county officials will not maintain the fields, commissioners on June 5 authorized the purchase of $46,303.80 in equipment to be used for that purpose. [The Landscapes and Parks Department is] going to keep the equipment titled to the county, but they will loan it for use on those fields to the school when needed, County Manager Dale Williams said. The current plan is for the equipment to be used by county employees on county projects as well as by school district employees for use on the fields. The equipment is too expensive to just limit it to one facility, Williams said. So, the county, while its purchasing the equipment, does recognize the equipment is needed to help maintain the football field, and well make it available for that. It wont be limited to just one location or facility. Williams said the county does not anticipate providing additional funding for the project. This is it for Columbia County, he said. Obviously the schools will have to maintain whats there, but theyve already been maintaining the old fields so I doubt there is any new expense to them. Over the last year the county has spent more than $500,000 in improvements at school district athletic venues. The projects included $200,000 for facility upgrades and improvements to the Columbia High School Softball facility; $224,000 for improvements at Fort White High School locker rooms and $110,930 for improvements and equipment purchases for the field at CHS.CHS to maintain own fields with use of county-owned equipment FILEJose Gonsalez, of T Mac Wilder & Associates LLC, uses a sod roller to apply TifGrand Bermuda grass onto the CHS football field earlier this year. The county purchased $46,303.80 worth of equipment this month for field maintenance. PATRICK SCOTT/Special to the ReporterFatal wreck in Wellborn FridayFlorida Highway Patrol Troopers leave the scene Saturday around 3:15 p.m. of a crash on 29th Road in Wellborn that took the life of a local man the night before. William Matthew Carr, 43, of 35th Place, Wellborn lost control of his 2007 Toyota Rav4 on a sharp curve at 6:35 p.m. and struck the tree pictured at left, according to an FHP news release. He was transported to Shands UF Health in Gainesville where he died of his injuries, FHP said. Troopers, who said they were not notified until hours later that Carr had died, returned to the scene Saturday to do a traffic homicide investigation.

PAGE 4

OPINION Sunday, June 15, 2014 www.lakecityreporter.com 4A Lake City Reporter Serving Columbia County Since 1874 The Lake City Reporter is published with pride for residents of Columbia and surrounding coun-ties by Community Newspapers Inc. We believe strong newspapers build strong communities  Newspapers get things done! Our primary goal is to publish distinguished and profitable community-oriented newspapers. This mission will be accomplished through the teamwork of professionals dedicated to truth, integrity and hard work. Todd Wilson, Publisher Robert Bridges, Editor Emily Lawson, Associate Editor Sue Brannon, Controller Dink NeSmith, President Tom Wood, Chairman ANOTHER VIEW LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should be typed or neatly written and double spaced. Letters should not exceed 400 words and will be edited for length and libel. Letters must be signed and include the writers name, address and telephone number for verification. Writers can have two letters per month published. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writers and not necessarily that of the Lake City Reporter BY MAIL: Letters, P.O. Box 1709, Lake City, FL 32056; or drop off at 180 E. Duval St. downtown. BY FAX: (386) 752-9400. BY EMAIL: news@lakecityreporter.com T he governor putting his signature on a bill Thursday that changes how the state refers to the Korean and Vietnam wars completed a stroke of symbolic poetry. Its no small thing. House Bill 559 isnt just abou t redesigning veterans license plates. Its about th e truth. Its about how these wars will be reflected in the minds of young people who read what we wrote about them. State statutes are pocked with references to the Korean War as a conflict and to Vietnam  not even afforded the lowly conflict designation, but referred to as an era  as if GIs never bothered to show up for the fighting. Senate sponsor Charlie Dean, R-Ocala, and House sponsor Larry Metz, R-Groveland, recognized this. They listened to veterans  some 1.5 million of them in Florida. More than 36,500 American servicemen died in Korea; 7,900 are still missing in action. In Vietnam, the numbers are even more dramatic. All you have to do is look at the 58,272 names carved on the long, granite Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The brave GIs in Southeast Asia were fighting in a war and living not in any era defined by geography. They were living in hell. In Korea, soldiers were told they were fighting to stop the march of communism and preserve freedom, and that was good enough for them. The Korean War lived up to its nickname -the Forgotten War. It was forgotten, frankly, because no one knew how to remember it. Few Americans under-stood it even while it was happening. Most important of all, unlike World War II, it was a war without clear definition -a war we couldnt win. The Vietnam War, on the other hand, was a war we couldnt bring ourselves to win. It was a culmination of years of wishy-washy decisions in Washington of whether to go in with bombs or soft-pedal our presence until we could get out without losing face. The Vietnam War was in everybodys living room night after night on the 6 oclock news. It was a public relations night-mare. And for the soldiers lucky enough to get back, just another war they had to fight. Increasingly unpopular at home, the war ended with the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973 and the unifica-tion of Vietnam under communist rule two years later. To too many Americans, returning servicemen were a reminder of killing and failure. Too many Vietnam vets felt unwanted and unrewarded, and were never able to recover fully from the twin trauma of the war and the homecoming. This bill doesnt mean were going to have a team of clerks going through every state record to purge it of Korean Conflict and Vietnam Era. The bill certainly will alter forever wording in Florida statutes. But it was largely a gesture, important to veterans and people who care about them. The point is, Floridas fur-ther euphemistic, politically correct slant to important events at least in this area of history has finally been nipped in the bud. Labels mean something to our war veteransT ens of thousands of illegal immigrant children are streaming across our bor-der with Mexico to escape horrors at home and finding new troubles here. These may be far less heinous than what they fled, but many have endured something akin to torture on the journey, will mostly have to return home anyway and meanwhile have a president of the United States to thank for their predicament. Though something new, at least in this magnitude, the situation adds up to cruelty of a kind seen all over the immigration map, often put in place not by nativists, as anyone short of mindless on these issues is often called, but by people who are supposedly compassionate while failing the test. Most of these children, unaccompanied by parents, are from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras and are desperately poor. They were sometimes abused at home. They were further terror-ized by drug crime gone manic. A Reuters interview with a teenage girl tells what it can be like. Though now with her mother in Virginia, she walked great distances in get-ting here, went hungry, was raped by a migrant smuggler and initially worked in unpaid servitude after arriving. She thought coming here was legal. On reaching America, many of the children quickly find other-wise. They end up in the custody of the Border Patrol and are then handed over to representatives of the Health and Human Services Department. They may get stuck in the equivalent of large cages, can go for days without a shower and may have to sleep on plastic cots. Some say the food theyre eating is making them sick. The government, while spending hundreds of millions trying to cope with this ever-growing crowd, is doing no such thing. One Border Patrol official complained that the agency was so overwhelmed that it was having a hard time also dealing with other duties such as drug smuggling and gun runners. As with the interviewed girl, the children may eventually be taken to a parent or other relative in the United States, but will still face deportation proceedings hard to win. It was President Barack Obama who issued the invitation for them to go through all of this. During the 2012 presidential election campaign and without benefit of Congress, he announced he would stop deporta-tions of illegal immigrants who came here as children. The policy, which was sure to win still more Hispanic votes as it eased lots of worries, did not apply to children arriving after 2007, but it is scarcely rare that imperfect understandings get widespread. In this case, even a White House official has said the current, unman-ageable influx appears partly attrib-utable to false stories that foreign children showing up alone would not be shooed away. In 2011, before the campaign promise, the number of illegally crossing children who were apprehended was something like 6,000. It is already 47,000 this year and the total next year is expected to be 140,000. The deplorable plight of the children should be obvious to all, but the helplessness of many other immigrants is often made to seem opportunity at last. For the unedu-cated and unskilled, it is seldom anything of the sort. They cant get more than lowwage jobs, cannot navigate the culture and are often assimilated into an underclass culture where the norms are single-parent homes, gang membership and dropping out of school. Prior to the 2008 reces-sion, these immigrants and their descendants were the major cause of American increases in poverty, even though educated, skilled, entrepreneurial immigrants fare well and are an enormous boon to the economy. What that suggests at the least is that reform should aim at bringing in far more of those who can con-tribute and far fewer of those more likely to find hardship than rescue. We meanwhile need to employ workable ways to prevent gro-tesquely exploited and frequently dangerous illegal entry as prelude to any amnesty agreement. To skip these basics would be heartless. Immigration cruelties of the compassionate sort Q Sunshine State News US cant do anything for this sinking ship T he situation in Iraq is pass-ing from being a cause for American reflection on its own actions there in the 2003-2011 period to a reason for serious thought about the future in that part of the Middle East. What is occurring is that a force calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is assuming control through successful military action of the Sunni Muslim heartland, including the cities of Fallujah, Mosul, Ramadi, Samarra and Tikrit and most of Anbar and Nineveh provinces. The primarily Shiite Iraqi government forces of Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki, trained and equipped by the United States, have not yet mounted a suc-cessful defense to roll back the ISIS forces. As of Friday Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, was some 40 miles away from advancing ISIS forces. They have adequate mobility and arms, thanks to assets U.S. forces left behind for use by Iraqi national forces. The al-Maliki government has asked for new U.S. military support, drones for reconnaissance and intel-ligence and air strikes to try to hold back the ISIS forces. Kurdish forces have taken control of the important hub of Kirkuk, probably successful-ly denying it to the ISIS but raising the specter of impending, at least de facto, division of Iraq into Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish domains. The ISIS is made up of Sunni Islamist extremists from both Iraq and Syria, supporters of the Baath Party of Saddam Hussein, includ-ing members of that governments armed forces, and other Sunni mili-tias, including some who were on Americas payroll when the United States attempted to bring Iraqs Sunnis under control during the occupation through the so-called Sunni Awakening. First, given the current trend of events, unlikely to be changed even by the level of U.S. military interven-tion that could be contemplated, is the likelihood that the ISIS will take Baghdad. Second, it is likely that the ISIS will stop with that, not trying in the short run to master either the Shiite South or the Kurdish North. Third, it is likely that the United States, working with contacts devel-oped with Sunnis during the occupa-tion, could do business with the ISIS, in spite of its radical components, potentially creating a useful bridge to that element in the region. The critical point at this juncture is that the United States not jeopar-dize the future by trying to plug the holes in the al-Maliki regimes sink-ing ship. With all the advantages America gave it and him, his regime has failed miserably to govern a multicultural Iraq in such a way to prevent it from dissolving. Q Jay Ambrose, formerly Washington director of editorial policy for Scripps Howard newspapers and the editor of dailies in El Paso, Texas, and Denver, is a columnist living in Colorado. Jay AmbroseSpeaktoJay@aol.com Q Pittsburgh Post-Gazette4AOPINION

PAGE 5

Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 LAKE CITY REPORTER COMMUNITY SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 5A Vermell Aileen Allbritton Vermill Aileen Allbritton, 82, of Perry, died Thursday, June 12, 2014, at her home with her family in Perry, FL. Vermell was born September 25, 1931 in Lulu, Fl., to the late Clifford and Cecella (Williams) Pearce. Vermell was preceded in death by her husband of over 59 years, Clifton Allbritton. Vermell was of the Southern Baptist Faith and was a member of New Home Baptist Church in Perry. Her lifes joy was family, especially time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an active church member who also enjoyed working with dren: Daughter Teresa Leving ston and her husband W.L. of Perry, sons C Winton Albritton Jr. of Decatur, AL., Michael K Allbritton and his wife Kimberly of Perry, Brian L. Albritton and his wife Linda of Perry, and Bruce C. Allbritton and his wife Gina of Grovetown, GA., eleven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren and a host of others who called her Mom. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 15, 2014 at New Home Baptist Church in Perry with Brother Bill Jenkins at Pisgah Cemetery. The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Burns Funeral Home Chapel. Memorial contributions can be made to Covenant Hospice. All arrange ments are under the care of JOE P. BURNS FUNERAL HOME You may send condolenc es to the family at www.joebpurnsfuneralhomes.com. Wayne Ennis Douglas Mr. Wayne Ennis Douglas, 78, of Lake City, died Thursday, June 12, 2014, at the Suwannee Valley Care Center (Haven Hospice) following a lengthy illness. Mr. Douglas was born May 21, 1936, in Sanderson, Florida to the late Elmer R. and Helen Mann Douglas. He attended schools in Columbia County and graduated from Columbia High School in 1954. He attended the University of Florida, was in the Air Force for 4 years and retired from the Navy after 16 years. Mr. Douglas then worked for the Florida Department of Transportation. Where he retired as a maintenance engineer. He has made Lake City his home for the past 14 years. Mr. Douglas was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Price Creek Ward. He was preceded in death by his youngest brother, Judson Bruce Douglas (Deb) of Gainesville, Florida. Also, the wife of his children, the late Barbara King Douglas, a native of Youngstown, Ohio. He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Vera Erlene Douglas of Lake City; two daughters, Connie Olson (Steve) Corning, CA, and Elaine Carman (Tim) Sioux Falls, SD. Two sons; Kenny (Leslie) Douglas, Jacksonville, FL, and Scott (Jeannie) Douglas of Lake City. His three brothers; Bob (Anne) Clayton, Gainesville, FL, Marshall (Diana) Douglas, Lake City, Vernon (Debra) Douglas, Lake City; grandchildren, Chadd Douglas and Kyrsten Douglas, Jacksonville, FL, Amorette, Nina, and Corwin Carman, Sioux Falls, SD. Sweet Uncle Wayne, as he was called by family and friends, was always ready with a smile and a welcoming handshake. He was a humble Southern gentle man and dearly loved his family. He was always grateful for life, its goodness and the many kindnesses he received. He loved to sing and delighted his family with stories of his youth. Visitation with the family will be held at the Gateway-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 3596 S. Hwy. 441, Lake City, on Sun. June 15th from 5-7 p.m. Funeral services for Mr. Douglas will be conducted Mon. June 16th at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Stake Center, Country Club Rd., Lake City, FL. Bishop Jeffery Thomas will private interment at Memorial Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida. GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME 3596 South US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL. 32025. (386) 752-1954. Please leave words of encouragement for the family online at, www.gatewayforestlawn.comMarvin S. Hall Jr. Dr. Marvin Hall, 90, of Lake City, died Friday, June 13 at Haven Hospice after an extended illness. A resident of Suwannee and Columbia counties since 1974, Dr. Hall was born on January 6, 1924, in Atlanta, the son of Marvin Shepard Hall and the former Sarah Parish. After completing his undergraduate education at the University of Florida, Dr. Hall received his professional doctorate from Emory University and established a dental practice in Miami. During the Korean War in the 1950s, he served in the Navy as a dentist in Korea. He was a member of Rotary Club for many years, as well as an accomplished cabinetmaker whose many creations included furniture for the First Presbyterian Church, where he was a deacon. Dr. Halls wife of 48 years, the former Ann Bareford, died in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Lucille, of Lake City; a son, David, of Fairfax, Virginia; a daughter, Betsy Hansen, of Jonesboro, Arkansas; and a sister, Barbara Hall, of Atlanta. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 18 at First Presbyterian Church of Lake City, 697 Baya Forest Lawn Cemetery with arrangements by GUERRY FUNERAL HOME, 2659 SW Main Blvd., Lake City. requests that donations be sent to First Presbyterian Church, PO Box 469, Lake City; or Haven Hospice, 6037 W. US Highway 90, Lake City, 32055.Mayse Wesley Holliday Mr. Mayse Wesley Holliday, 76 of Lake City, passed away on Friday, June 13, 2014 at Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He was the oldest of four children to the late Orian A. and Annette Bishop Holliday. Mr. Holliday was a graduate of Columbia High School class of 1957 and a veteran of the Florida National Guard. He retired from the Florida Department of Transportation as the Assistant District Materials Engineer with 35 years of employment. Mr. Holliday was a former member of the Lake City Masonic Lodge #27 and held various positions within the organization. He enjoyed traveling, woodworking and spending time with his family. He was preceded in death by one brother, Wayne Holliday. Survivors include his wife, Betty C. Holliday, Lake City; two sons, Mayse W. (Lisa) Kenneth Holliday, Okinawa, Japan; two sisters, Edna Nell (John) Rau, Myrtle Beach, SC and Elizabeth (Kenny) Moore, Lake City; three grandchildren, Chelsea (Rodney) Watson, Ft. White and Tyler and Erika Holliday of Japan; his nephews and niece, Wayne Holliday, Randy Thomas, Penny Jarrard and Brad Johnson; and two close friends, R.E. Hall, Ft. White and Sandy Daniel, Jacksonville. Private services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of GUERRY FUNERAL HOME Lake City. 752-2414 Please sign the guestbook at www.guerryfuneral h ome.netKimberly Rodgers Horsley Mrs. Kimberly Rodgers Horsley, 50, of Lake City, Fl. passed away peacefully on May 29, 2014 at her residence, surrounded by her family, following a valiant battle with cancer. She was born on August 26, 1963 in Monroe, Michigan to Linda Rodgers and the late Franklin Rodgers Jr. She enjoyed crocheting and spending time with her family. She was looking forward to the birth Glenn Khachigan, due in October. She was a loving wife, caring mother, a beloved daughter, sister, and a good friend to many. Kim was employed by Pizza Hut and most recently Wal-Mart, and is remembered by many for her friendliness, warm smile, and the loving way she treated everyone. She was a member of Circle Cross Cowboy Church. She was predeceased by her grandparents Arletta and Joseph Volpi; John and Rose Rodgers, and her father, Franklin Rodgers Jr. She is survived by her loving husband of 26 years Harold L. Horsley Jr., two daughters Katlynn Khachigan (Steven), and Angela Patrolia, a granddaughter, Rylie Khachigan, and her mother, Linda MeMe Rodgers, all of Lake City, Fl. Three sisters, Kelly Walsh, Karrie Ernest, and Rose Jackson, along with numerous nieces and nephews, and her special friends and co-workers also survive. She is also survived by her three special pets, Champ,Gizzy, and Prissy. A private service was held at her home on Saturday, May 31, 2014 with the Reverend Zack may be made to further the Ministry of the Circle Cross Cowboy Church. Arrangements were under the direction of GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME 3596 S. US Hwy. 441, Lake City, Fl. 32025 (386)752-1954. Please leave words of comfort for the family at www.gatewayforestlawn.com.Mary Eliza beth Howard Petersen Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Howard Petersen, 92, of Lake City, passed away on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at Ben Atchley State Veterans Home in Knoxville, TN. She was born on October 6, 1921 in McAlpin, FL, to the late Francis Marion Howard and Mary Ann Eliza Greene. As a young woman she felt a sense of duty to serve her country in in the U.S. Naval Reserves Womens Reserve (WAVES). She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who dedicat ed her time to her family and extended church families at the First Advent Christian Church of Lake City and McAlpin Advent Christian Church. She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 67 years, Walter C. Petersen Sr., her parents, her siblings; Ethel Howard OHara, George Willard Howard, Pauline Howard Sanders, Sadie Howard, Francis Marard, Verna Howard Coolidge, Hazel Howard Stewart, Marguerette Howard, and Greene Van Buren Howard. Survivors include her son; Walter C. (Angie) Petersen Jr., of Knoxville, TN, grandchildren; Benjamin H. (Annie) Petersen of Sanford, FL, and Eric D. (Beth) Petersen of Knoxville, TN, and great grandchild, Mary Caroline Petersen of Knoxville, TN Graveside services will be conducted at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Memorial Cemetery, Lake City, FL, with ing and Pastor Tom Amerson assisting. Visitation with the family and friends will be from 5:00pm-7:00pm, Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at the funeral home. ask that memorial donations be made in her honor, to the charity of your choice. Arrangements are under the direction of GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME 3596 S. U.S. Hwy 441, Lake City, FL, 32025. (386) 752-1954. Please leave words of love and comfort for the family at www.gatewayforestlawn.comJanis Allbritton Robinson Ms. Janis Allbritton Robinson, 66, of Lake City, FL, died Saturday, June 14, 2014, at Suwannee Valley Haven Hospice after a short battle with cancer. She was born in Columbia County, FL to the late Jesse James Allbritton and Minnie Ola Knight Allbritton and had lived here most of her life. A Christian by faith, she had worked many years as a waitress for Shirleys Restaurant and loved doing her yard voted to her family and her cat, BooBoo. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Cindy Allbritton. Survivors include her brother: Donald J. Allbritton, Ocala, FL; several aunts and uncles and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, June 16, 2014, at 4 P.M. at Gateway-Forest Lawn Chapel with Rev. terment will follow in Memorial Cemetery. Visitation with the family and friends will be one hour before the service (from 3 PM to 4 PM). Loving thanks to her special caretakers: Shirley Keen, Bernice Allbritton and Brenda Henderson. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made for funeral expenses to Shirley Keen, P. O. Box 1973, Lake City, FL 32056. GATEWAY-FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME, 3596 S. US Hwy 441, Lake City, FL 32025 (386-752-1954) is in charge of arrangements. Please leave words of love and encourage ment for the family online at www.gatewayforestlawn.com.Donn Edwards Welden Mr. Donn Edwards Weld en, unstoppable in all that he attempted, died June 12 2014 after an extended battle with terminal illness. Donn was a father, a husband, a craftsman and a lover of life. He was preceded in death by his father William Welden, his mother Helen Welden, his sister Wendy Loveless and his daughter Kim Roberts. Donn is survived by his wife Sandy Welden; his children Lisa Welden, Donn Welden, David Welden, Kenny Roberts, Tania Roberts, Peter Roberts, Erin ODonnell, Alvin Riggins and April Riggins; his brothers Stephen Curtis and Lawrence Doughty; his sisters Robin Curtis and Barbara Doughty; his nieces and nephews James Gilbert, Autumn Loveless, Jared Curtis, Jonathan Curtis, Jessica Curtis, Lawrence Doughty, and Carl Doughty; as well as fourteen grandchildren and twelve great nieces and nephews. Donn also leaves behind his faithful dog Cooper and his historic White Springs home--lovingly and painstakingly restored by his hands. Donn was born in White Plains New York, raised in Margate Florida, and settled in White he traveled the United States from coast to coast seeking fun, adventure, and experience. Beneath a sometimes gruff exterior Donn was a man who gave of himself without limits in loving his family and friends. He was both a commercial contractor and a restoration carpenter. Donn was instrumental in preserving and restoring many historic homes and structures in White Springs, Florida--including his own home. Donn will be missed dearly by those who loved and knew him. Please join us to celebrate his life at a memori al service to be held at 11:00 am on Monday June 16,2014 at GATEWAY FOREST LAWN FUNERAL HOME 3596 South US Highway 441 Lake City, Florida 32025 (386) 752send donations to the American Cancer Society in Donns name at http://www.cancer.org/ Please leave words of comfort for the family online at, www.gatewayforestlawn.comObituaries are paid advertisements. For details, call the Lake City Reporters classified department at 752-1293. 2 4 m o n t h C D S p e c i a l $ 1 0 0 0 0 m i n c u o r g 1 4 6 % A P Y* 1 0 0 % A P Y* D e p o s i t s a r e f e d e r a l l y i n s u r e d b y t h e N C U A a U S G o v e r n m e n t A g e n c y f o r u p t o $ 2 5 0 0 0 0 A n n u a l P e r c e n t a g e Y i e l d ( A P Y ) e f f e c t i v e 3 / 1 3 / 2 0 1 4 a n d s u b j e c t t o c h a n g e a t a n y t i m e 3 6 m o n t h A P R i s 1 4 5 % 5 4 0 p e n a l t y d a y s 2 4 m o n t h A P R i s 1 0 0 % 3 6 0 p e n a l t y d a y s O f f e r e x p i r e s 8 / 1 5 / 1 4 3 6 m o n t h C D S p e c i a l F e d e r a l l y I n s u r e d b y t h e N C U A WILSONS OUTFITTERS1291 SE Baya Dr, Lake City (386) 755-7060WilsonsOutfitters@comcast.net Calcutta Sunglasses Zips & Frog Leg Shade Holders Tumblers & Water Bottles Reef Sandals on Sale LAKE CITY COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING CITY OF LAKE CITY NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake City Community Redevelopment Agency for the City of Lake City, Florida will hold a meeting on Monday, June 16, 2014, at 6:30 P.M., in the Council Chambers located on the second floor of City Hall at 205 North Marion Avenue, Lake City, Florida. All interested persons are invited to attend. CITY COUNCIL MEETING THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE CITY, FLORIDA WILL MEET ON MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF CITY HALL AT 205 NORTH MARION AVENUE, LAKE CITY, FLORIDA All interested persons are invited to attend. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: If you require special aid or services for any of the meetings identified above, as addressed in the American Disabilities Act, please contact the City Managers Office at (386) 719-5768. AUDREY E SIKES, MMC City Clerk OBITUARIES To submit your Community Calendar item, contact Emily Lawson at 754-0424 or by email at elawson@lakecityreporter.com.COMMUNITY CALENDARJune 16Baby ShowerThe Lulu Ladies and Providences Piecers Quilt Group will host a Baby Shower for the Pregnancy Care Center of Lake City at the Lulu Community Center on June 16 at 10 a.m. The public is welcome, and if you attend please bring an unwrapped baby gift boy or girl is fine. Refreshments will be provided. Please call Sue Hansens at 7522596 with questions.SCORE workshopA SCORE Entrepreneurs Workshop will be held June 16 from 6-8 p.m. at Columbia County Public Library, 308 NW Columbia Ave. The workshop is free, but a reservation is required. Call l386752-2000 or email scorelakecity@ gmail.com.June 17NARFE MeetingThe National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association will meet Tuesday, June 17 at the LifeStyle Enrichment Center, 628 SE Allison Court, at 1 p.m. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services will conduct the meeting. Call Jim Purvis at 752-8570 for more.Art receptionThe Art League of North Florida and the Friends of the Library will host a reception on June 17 from 5:30-7 p.m. West Branch Art Show winners will be announced. Come meet the artists who participated in the show. Refreshments will be provide. For details call Gateway Art Gallery at 7525229.June 19Early Learning The Early Learning Coalition will have an Executive Committee Meeting Thursday, June 19 at 1:30 p.m. at 1104 SW Main Blvd. June 22St. Johns DayGold Standard Lodge #167 will have the St. Johns Day Service on June 22 at 3:30 p.m. at Bethel AME Church. Call 386-697-3739.June 23Day CampThe Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches will offer a free weeklong day camp June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Treadway Elementary School. Call Lauri Quick (386) 749-9999 to register. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/ Lake City ReporterList celebrates flag day everydayLake City resident Irvin List, 82, enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 1951-54, as a 2nd Class Engineman. His American flag that he has proudly displayed in front of his home for several years was given to him after shipping care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan. List said that his house has always had a flag out front. Saturday was Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States. To me, it means freedom. I cry sometimes when I see the flag.

PAGE 6

Hatcher put an emphasis on lowering truancy rates this school year, and that included prosecuting par ents with truant children. Since the program began, truancy rates for every school in the district but one actually went up. About 580 students were sent to truancy court this school year, a 21 percent increase from last year, Hatcher said. However, that may not mean more students actu ally skipped school. Hatcher said he believes schools were simply more careful about entering attendance data this year. He wont know if his spec ulation is correct until tru ancy rates for 2014-15 are calculated a year from now, he said. If next years rates are similar to this years, hell know he was right. For students, the stakes are high. A 2013 study by the school district shows that missing school during the early elementary years leads to higher chances of dropping out of high school. The study found that 45 percent of high school dropouts in Columbia County over the previous five years were truant in kindergarten-third grade, Hatcher said at Tuesdays school board meeting. In the meeting, he also discussed the findings of a study done this school year about which students are truant. The study showed that 95 percent of the 581 stu dents who were sent to tru ancy court this year are impoverished. A Johns Hopkins University study Hatcher cited shows that truancy in kindergarten correlates to lower academic per formance in first grade, and that impact is twice as great for students from low-income families. Hatcher on Tuesday sent letters of notification to the parents the district plans to file charges against. Hatcher didnt say how many days of school their children missed during the 2013-14 school year. But he did say the district is only going to pursue prosecu tion for truancy in the most severe cases.A focus on prevention The district is trying to put the focus on helping truant students, rather than just punishing them and their parents, Hatcher said. To do that, the district is implementing more ways to prevent truancy and edu cate students and their fam ilies on its effects. Before now, its been all punitive, Hatcher said. Typically, students and parents who are prosecut ed for truancy are given community service, he said. But that doesnt nec essarily relate to missing school and doesnt help students attend school more regularly, he said. For the coming school year, the district will be offering a parenting class for those with truant chil dren, he said. What I want to have hap pen is to make sure parents are more literate and more in tune to their childrens education, he said. The district is also starting a program called Children In Need of Services, which is co-spon sored by the school dis trict and the juvenile jus tice system. It will look at students whove missed a lot of school and determine whether they need to be educated on the effects of excessive absences, Hatcher said. Finally, the district plans to revamp truancy court, although Hatcher said he couldnt yet comment on what exactly is being done. This year, to motivate students and schools to lower their truancy rates and raise attendance rates, the district held a contest. Students won flat-screen televisions for perfect attendance and improved attendance, and the schools with the lowest truancy rate, most improved atten dance rate and highest attendance rate got checks. The district will continue that contest for the upcom ing school year. 6A LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 To make your change, join our free educational seminar on June 18, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital. To register, call 352.265.0535 or visit UFHealth.org/weightloss/seminar. Have you struggled with weight most of your life? It might be time for a change. Being obese can lead to many medical problems, but can also greatly aect your quality of life. If you are ready for a change, the UF Health Weight Loss Surgery Center at Shands Hospital is here to help. Our center is led by fellowship-trained bariatric surgeons, who are specially trained in weight loss surgery. They work with a multidisciplinary team of experts from UF Health to guide you through your weight loss journey. We focus not just on weight loss, but are dedicated to helping you create and maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle that you can enjoy. UF HEALTHWEIGHT LOSS SURGERY CENTER TRUANCYContinued From 1A By SARAH LOFTUS Truancy is defined as missing 21 or more days of school, according to Florida law. In Columbia County, unexcused and excused absences factor into truancy rates. Each early dismissal and tardy also counts as a missed day of school as far as truancy rates are con cerned. Truancy rates jumped this year, the first year of a pro gram designed to curtail it. However, Keith Hatcher, the district director of adult edu cation, truancy and charter schools, said that may have been because schools were more careful about keeping attendance records this year. Niblack Elementary had the biggest jump in truancy, according to district records gathered by Hatcher. The truancy rate for 2013-14 was 41 percent, meaning that many students missed 21 or more days of school. Niblacks truancy rate for 2012-13 was 14 percent. Summers and Melrose elementary schools also had large increases in truancy. Both schools rates went up by 15 percent this school year. The only school with a decrease in truancy rates was Challenge Learning Center, which fell from 70 to 62 percent, still highest in the district. In its first year of opera tion, Belmont Academy had the lowest truancy rate in the district for the 2013-14 school year at 6 percent. While truancy rates went up, attendance rates for dis trict schools remained fairly even, with all but Challenge Learning Center remaining in the 90th percentile. Attendance rates are based on the number of days each student was in school. A missed day, whether an excused or unexcused absence, counts as missed in terms of cal culating attendance rates. However, unlike truancy rates, early dismissals and tardies do not factor in. In addition to having the lowest truancy rate this year, Belmont Academy also had the highest attendance rate at 97 percent. However, other schools werent far behind. Westside Elementary had an attendance rate of 96 percent for this school year. And with the exception of Challenge Learning Centers attendance rate of 71 percent, the lowest rate in the county was 91 per cent. Shining Star Academy, Fort White High School and Columbia High School all had attendance rates of 91 percent, according to district data. Hatcher said high schools tend to have higher truancy rates than elementary and middle schools because stu dents are more likely to skip school in high school. However, kindergarten ers, first-graders and sec ond-graders tend to also have higher truancy rates. With younger students, its typically because their par ents dont make them go to school, Hatcher said. With high schoolers, its more like ly to be the students choice to skip. Truancy by the numbers By TONY BRITTtbritt@lakecityreporter.com A chorus of barking dogs found it difficult to compete with the sound of hammers at the local humane society on Saturday. Members of the Columbia County Builders Association were on site with hammers, saws, nails and other tools working on an addition to the Margaret Smith Animal Adoption Center building at the Lake City Humane Society. The plan is to enclose a carport and turn it into office space, freeing up space near the front of the build ing for dogs and cats, making them more visible to visitors. That way we can use the front of the building to house more animals during the day, said Teena Ruffo, LCHS operations manager. People have a hard time, they walk through the kennels and they cant picture these dogs in their house and a house setting. But when we have the dogs up front in the air conditioning, just laying in a pen and relaxing, weve gotten a lot more animals adopted like that because people can visualize them in their home. Still, humane society officials needed to build the addition as eco nomically as possible. Money saved on construction can be used in the spay/neuter program to control the animal population, Ruffo said. The builders association was kind enough to volunteer their time, Ruffo said, noting Lube Specialists gave money towards purchasing an air conditioner and Homes of Merit donated all the materials for the work. Bryan Zecher, Columbia County Builders Association president, said one of the organizations missions is to give back to the community and each year the organization finds a project. Framers put up the walls on Friday, and on Saturday crews worked for about half a day, install ing siding, insulation, windows and an air conditioner. Marc Matthews did the electrical work and Dave Ponton did the framing work earlier in the week. Crews are expected to return later in the week to finish the inside trim work. It all goes back to helping the community and finding a need in the community, Zecher said. This project came up and we just felt like it was the right one to partner with. Builders Association crafts addition to Adoption CenterLAKE CITY HUMANE SOCIETY Animals will move to the front of the building to be more visible to visitors. TONY BRITT/ Lake City ReporterBryan Zecher (from left) prepares to take a window from Mike Nicholso n as Christian Zecher offers assistance. Several members of the Columbia County Bu ilders Association worked on improvements at the local humane society Sa turday. From staff reports As of press time Saturday, the Lake City Police Department still had not released any information on a crash involving a City of Lake City automobile and an SUV at the intersection of US 90 and Bascom Norris Road Thursday morning. The driver of the city vehicle, still unidentified, was taken to an area hospital, according to an eyewitness at the scene. The driver of the SUV told a reporter she suffered minor injuries. At least four children were in the SUV as well. None appeared to be injured. An LCPD employee said Friday that a report had been completed but not authorized for release. Still no word on Thursday wreck

PAGE 7

Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 7A Lake City Reporters Best of the Best Readers Choice Awards | Lake City Reporters Best of the Best Readers Choice Awards | Lake City Reporters Best of the Best INSTRUCTIONS AND OFFICIAL RULES: One entry form per household. Entries must be submitted on official entry ballot. Photocopies and carbon not accepted. Must be 18 years of age to enter. Ballots must include name, age, address and telephone number. Entries not meeting these criteria will not be tabulated nor entered in the drawing for $150 worth of cash prizes. The Lake City Reporter reserves the right to verify all entries and to eliminate any category for any reason. This ballot must be postmarked by June 17, 2014 and mailed to: Readers Choice Contest Lake City Reporter, PO Box 1709 Lake City, FL 32056. Ballot must have at least half of the categories filled out to be considered valid. No purchase required. The Reporter will not be responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged or otherwise undeliverable mail. All entries become the property of the Lake City Reporter. Winner will be notified by telephone and/or certified mail, and will have seven days to reply and claim the prize. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Winner agrees to publication of name, hometown and photograph. An announcement of the winner will appear in the Lake City Reporter. The name of the winner will not be given out by telephone. Judges decision is final. Contest coordinator will not enter into any written or oral discussion about the contest judges or awarding of the prize. Employees of the Lake City Reporter (and their immediate families and members of their household) are not eligible.First Ballot Chosen ........... $100 Second Ballot ................. $50ENTER & WIN! 2014 Official Entry Ballot(Simply Write In Your Choice For Columbia Countys Best and Return Ballot by June 17, 2014) Name___________________________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________________ City _______________________________________ State _________________ Zip _________________ Phone _________________________________________________________________ Age ___________ Email address ______________________________________________________________________ Are your a current subscriber? YES ________ NO_______FILL OUT THE BALLOT(Must complete 50% of ballot to be counted)ENTER YOUR NAME for the RANDOM DRAWING .ANYONE CAN WIN . WHY NOT YOU?19th ANNUALLake City ReporterReaders Choice AWARDSNominate and vote for your favorites in a variety of categories, from best local pool cleaner to best hair stylist, THE CHOICE IS YOURS! MAIL TO: The Readers Choice Awards Lake City Reporter PO Box 1709 Lake City, FL 32056 DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES:June 17, 2014 Best All-around Restaurant________________ Best Bar_______________________________ Best Bar B Que__________________________ Best Breakfast__________________________ Best Buet_____________________________ Best Burger____________________________ Best Caterer____________________________ Best Country Style Restaurant_____________ Best Deli_______________________________ Best Dinner Under $10____________________ Best Donuts____________________________ Best Drive Thru_________________________ Best Early Bird Dinner___________________ Best Fried Chicken_______________________ Best Hot Wings_________________________ Best Lunch Special______________________ Best Mexican Restaurant__________________ Best Asian Cuisine_______________________ Best Pizza______________________________ Best Restaurant Atmosphere______________ Best Salad Bar__________________________ Best Sandwich__________________________ Best Seafood ___________________________ Best Steak_____________________________ Best Sub______________________________ Best Sushi_____________________________ Best Hot Dog___________________________ Best Attorney__________________________ Best Automotive Salesperson_____________ Best Chiropractor_______________________ Best Dentist____________________________ Best Electrician_________________________ Best Event Planner_______________________ Best Doctor____________________________ Best Hair Stylist_________________________ Best Home Builder______________________ Best Insurance Agent____________________ Best Masseuse__________________________ Best Orthodontist_______________________ Best Pharmacist________________________ Best Photographer______________________ Best Plumber___________________________ Best Real Estate Agent_________________ Best Tattoo Artist______________________ Best Veterinarian______________________ Best Assisted Living Fac.___________________ Best Auto Body Shop_____________________ Best Auto Electronics____________________ Best Auto Service_______________________ Best Bank______________________________ Best Barber Shop_______________________ Best Carpet Cleaner_____________________ Best Cellular Store______________________ Best Child Care Center___________________ Best Civic Organization__________________ Best Cleaning Service___________________ Best Credit Union_______________________ Best Dance Studio______________________ Best Dry Cleaner________________________ Best Electronic Repair____________________ Best Emergency Room___________________ Best Funeral Home______________________ Best Gym______________________________ Best Hair Salon__________________________ Best Hearing Center_____________________ Best Heating & Air Company______________ Best Home Health Care Provider___________ Best Hospital___________________________ Best Karate School______________________ Best Lawn Care_________________________ Best Lawn Mower Sales/Service____________ Best Medical Clinic______________________ Best Motorcycle Repair__________________ Best Nail Salon_________________________ Best Oil Change ________________________ Best Optical Store_______________________ Best Pest Control_______________________ Best Pet Boarding_______________________ Best Pet Grooming______________________ Best Pharmacy__________________________ Best Place for a Massage__________________ Best Place to Buy Meat___________________ Best Pool/Spa Service and Repair___________ Best Printer____________________________ Best Nursing Home_____________________ Best Auto Parts Store____________________ Best Real Estate Agency__________________ Best Swimming Pool Sales/Installation_______ Best Tanning Salon______________________ Best Towing Company____________________ Best Window Tinting_____________________ Best Antique Store______________________ Best Appliance Dealer___________________ Best Bedding___________________________ Best Boat Dealer________________________ Best Consignment/Thrift Store____________ Best Convenience Store__________________ Best Domestic Auto Dealer_______________ Best Fabric Store________________________ Best Feed Store_________________________ Best Floor Covering Store_________________ Best Florist_____________________________ Best Furniture Store_____________________ Best Garden/Nursery____________________ Best Gift Store__________________________ Best Hardware Store_____________________ Best Import Auto Dealer__________________ Best Jewelry Store_______________________ Best Manufactured HomeDealer____________ Best Motorcycle/ATV Dealer_____________ Best Pawn Shop_______________________ Best Pet Shop__________________________ Best Place to Buy Tires_________________ Best Produce___________________________ Best Shoe Store________________________ Best Spa/Hot Tub Dealer________________ Best Truck Dealer______________________ Best Used Auto Dealer__________________ Best Activity Center_____________________ Best Apartment Complex________________ Best Golf Course______________________ Best Hotel/Motel_______________________ Best Place for a Wedding_________________ Best Place for a Wedding Reception_________ Best Retirement Community______________ Best Campground_______________________ BEST PEOPLE BEST PLACES BEST DINING & ENTERTAINMENT BEST SERVICES

PAGE 8

the incidents, Huddleston said he did not believe the matter warranted DCF attention. However, he said a presentation by a private attorney, brought in to speak to district administrators last week at his request, caused him to look at the matter afresh. Its safe to say she was eye-opening, Huddleston said. Previously, district employees believed that consensual sexual activity between children, while improper, might not require a call to DCF, he said. The attorney corrected that thinking. That had been the mindset in the district that children with children wouldnt necessarily be child abuse, he said. But thats where she went in to say, No, because some of them dont have the capacity to consent. Huddleston said that after the attorneys visit, local educators will be better versed on the law. He said the training would be passed down to every district employee. I think if that situation repeated itself now, I dont think theres any question that people would call, he said. But I think after the training that everybody went to, I think theyre gonna call about everything. Huddleston said a 2012 change in state law made stricter the reporting requirements for educators, and said he understood why Niblack officials didnt call DCF at the time. I dont think they would have (called) with their understanding at that time of the old rules, he said. Huddleston said if he had been an administrator at Niblack at the time, he wouldnt have called DCF either. However, the 2012 change did not pertain to educators, said John Harrell, communications director for the Northeast Region of DCF. The law was expanded to require every citizen to report abuse, he said, but the rules for school personnel didnt change at all. The (old) law would absolutely apply to teachers, Harrell said. It would also apply to law enforcement, he said. The Columbia County Sheriffs Office was notified of the incidents but determined they did not constitute abuse, according to the schools investigative report. A case number was generated after the first incident but school officials ruled the boys conduct sexual harassment and no sheriffs report was written. Sheriff Mark Hunter said a deputy was told of the second incident on a Friday, then informed the following Monday that the girls father did not wish to press charges. He said in the absence of a complaining witness, his office did not investigate further. Harrell said DCF should have been notified regardless. Anyone who suspects or is aware of abuse would be required to report that, he said. If someone suspects child abuse, including child-on-child abuse, they should call the abuse hotline. Ultimately, our feeling is they need to let us investigate. Hunter said his office acted properly under the law. We take seriously and investigate such incidents thoroughly, he said. We examine the facts and go where the evidence leads us.A common threadThe common thread in the incidents at Niblack and Pinemount was the presence of Marilyn Gassett, as principal at Niblack, then as assistant principal at Pinemount. Gassett was demoted to assistant principal in August 2013 for unrelated reasons, school officials say, and has since been relieved of her duties there for failing to report a students claim of sexual abuse at home. She will be allowed to return to the district as a teacher in the fall. Media inquiries over possible parallels in the incidents at the two schools led Huddleston to investigate the Niblack cases, the first of which occurred in October 2012, before he took office as superintendent. The second incident occurred in January 2013. Keith Hatcher, the district director of adult education, truancy and charter schools, led the probe. Gassett, Melinda Moses, then assistant principal at Niblack, and others interviewed including a guidance counselor, stressed the incidents were consensual and that school officials reaction in no way resembled that of administrators at Pinemount, who failed to report a students claim of rape by her stepfather. Nakita Ivery, a teacher at Niblack, told Hatcher the female student at Niblack was not innocent and that the behavior was mutual. Gassett told Hatcher both students had an equal part each time, in the language of the report, and that the girl, by virtue of being two years older, had influence over the boy. However, while both students signed a no contact contract at the request of school officials, only the boy was punished, receiving five days suspension for the first incident and 10 days suspension for the second, provided he receive counseling. When asked why, if they were equal partners in the incidents, only the boy was punished, Huddleston defended administrators choices. When you do a discipline, you have to be in the room at that time, he said. We could pull up all kind of disciplinary referrals. We could look in hindsight at many referrals and say, Well, why did so and so. You had to be there, right there, within that room with those parents to determine how and why that happened. I mean, thats all I can say. You have to be there in that moment (during) that decision-making process. Scheduling conflictsThe first Niblack incident occurred Oct. 5, 2012 in the classroom of Chris Dang, who was away for in-service training at the time. Afterward, Dang was concerned about the boy being left in the same classroom with the girl and thought he may have qualified for an Emotional/ Behavior Disorder, according to Hatchers report. However, administrators at Niblack never acted on his suggestion. Possibly due to administrative scheduling conflicts, meetings to discuss the matter were never held, Dang told Hatcher. Huddleston declined to second-guess the decision to leave the boy and girl in the same classroom. Im not gonna fault her (Gassett) because you dont know where he could have gone, whose class. See, at Niblack, youve only got two classes, he said. So if he went in that class, or if he went in the other class, what kids in there could cause worse (problems). After the second incident, which occurred Jan. 23, 2013 as the students were walking home from school, one of the children was moved to a different classroom, according to a redacted May 15 report by Moses. 8A LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 Editors note: Meet Your Neighbor is an occasional feature meant to introduce readers to interesting or notable local residents who might not otherwise find themselves in the public eye.By MEGAN REEVESmreeves@lakecityreporter.comIn a world of restlessness, Joe Hersha finds ease in two things: paper and pencil. I did a little drawing in school, he said. But the older I get the more it eases my mind. Hersha said he uses his artistic talents as an outlet from the stress of everyday life. Although his zip code has recently changed, Hershas passions have not. He has only been living in Lake City for a short time, after moving from Ohio to be close to his mother. Hersha, now 37, said he started drawing years ago. Its something to kill time, he said. I make things so I can send to them other people in hopes that they enjoy it. Hersha just finished working on a piece Friday that he will be sending to his friend Heather back in Ohio. The drawing is the profile of a woman who is staring at a collection of roses. [Heather] always tries to make everybody happy, Hersha said of his friend. Shes good to everybody, tries to help everybody out, so to me this is a picture of her. He explained that he drew the picture to show her that she deserves to see a bed of roses in front of her. I usually just sit on the porch and listen to the radio while I draw, Hersha said. Usually its country music. He said the focus of his art has always been diverse. I draw a little bit of everything, Hersha said. I take whatever someone likes and I try to make something of it so that they like it. I incorporate something that represents them. His portfolio includes drawings for all types of people: friends far, friends close and his children, specifically a Spider-Man drawing for his son. Hersha has also designed tattoos for several of his friends, as his artwork often mimics the style of a tattoo. He has two of his own tattoos, one on his bicep and shoulder and another on his side. He drew the pieces and his friend tattooed them for him. Although Hershas subject matter may change to suit the person he is creating for, his medium does not. I like pencil because I like black and white pictures, he said. To me, the shading is just a lot better. Hersha said black and white images can make people feel things that color cant. After doing it for years, he said that the important thing is to keep trying. Im sure everybody changes with anything they do, Hersha said. Its just something youre gonna get better at the more you do it. Hersha has started teaching his three children to draw. He said at ages six, eight and 13, they are young but learning. Although he draws in his spare time, Hersha works in the construction industry. While living in Ohio, Hersha worked for a company building log cabins. He said the creative aspect is what made him love it. I just like to build and draw, Hersha said. I like to do stuff where when its done I can sit back and look and say, Hey, I did this. He said all of his creations are aimed to make people happy. Everyone seems to enjoy them and most people hang them up, he said. At least I hope so, because theres a lot of time that goes into them.MEET YOUR NEIGHBORHersha: Drawing to make others happy MEGAN REEVES Lake City ReporterJoe Hersha shows off a tattoo based on one of his drawings. NIBLACKContinued From 1A JASON MATTHEW WALKER/ Lake City ReporterMinnie J. Niblack Elementary School is pictured. From staff reportsColumbia County Superintendent of Schools Terry Huddleston issued the following statement Thursday on the appointment of Cherie Hill as the new principal of Pinemount Elementary School: With recent events, one of my major goals has been to find the right person to take the helm at Pinemount Elementary to continue the momentum and progress made since the school opened, Huddleston wrote. I looked at the existing administrators in the district to find one who has the needed experience to bring the students, teachers, staff, and families of Pinemount together to continue the great job is very fortunate to have several experienced administrators who could move into this position. Hill replaces Donna McAdams, whose contract was not renewed. Huddleston on Cherie Hill Community VBSA community-oriented vacation bible school entitled "The Jesus Connection: What a Friend" will be held at the Richardson Community Center June 16-20 from 6-8 p.m. daily. Youth and adults both welcome. Call Georgia Muldrow at 752-1830 for more details.Sister's WelcomeSister's Welcome Missionary Baptist Church, 3194 SW Sisters Welcome Road, will offer a vacation bible school for Pre-K through Senior High students as well as adults June 16-20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The theme is "The Amazing Road Trip Discovering God's Purpose for Me." Call Essie Wilson at 386-344-1516.Vacation Bible School coming up Cambridge Prep Academy386-243-8285cambridgeprepacademy.org A private school for all grades. Team teaching approach to help students excel Low tuition cost providing families an opportunity at private education Additional classes such as 4H, piano, dance, student council, and more Small class sizes for one on one learning and spaces are limited Exciting NEW Program for K-5!Classes are accredited by the FCCPSA! We are registered with The State Board of Education, and Licensed in Columbia County. We are accepting scholarships from Step Up. Diploma earned upon graduation. See our website for more info.

PAGE 9

Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 LAKE CITY REPORTER LOCAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 9A By TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.com Keeping the family together should start at home and spread through out the community. Barbara Watson, a member of the Florida House of Representatives from Miami, was the guest speaker for the 32nd Annual Columbia County NAACP Freedom Fund Luncheon and said keeping the family togeth er should start at home in the kitchen with basic conversation and commu nication between family members. The luncheon took place Saturday at The County Club of Lake City and was attended by more than 60 people. The theme for this years event was One Community and One People, United We Stand. The Freedom Fund Luncheon is the major fundraiser for the Columbia County branch of the National Association For the Advancement of Colored People. During the program the local branch also present ed awards to community sponsors from throughout the year. Awards and recipients were: Q NAACP Corporate Award winner  Zack Paulk Q NAACP Community Service Award Winner  Sheriff Mark Hunter and the Columbia County Sheriffs Office Q NAACP Community Service Award Winner  Dr. Jean Felert Cadet Q NAACP Life Member Award  Barbara Carter Debra White, Columbia County NAACP president, said the Freedom Fund Luncheon went really well. We had a great turnout and we just thank every body for coming and sup porting us, she said. We would like for everybody to believe in us and we hope to be of great assistance in this county. White, who presented the awards to the recipients during the ceremony, said its important to recognize people in the community who support the NAACP. We have to keep a communication pipeline between our sheriffs office, doctors and people that give us money through the community and help us financially, she said. Its very important that we keep a relationship with them and to recognize them and let them know how much we appreciate them. I very much enjoyed the program, said Shirley Rentz following the lun cheon. Im probably a lit tle prejudiced because she (Watson) is my first cous in. The program was great. Ive been coming a long time and she ranks at the top. Michael Green I guess theres just really nothing like being a dad, especially for the first time, said Michael Green, father of three. Green said it is hard to put the meaning of fatherhood into words. When you become a dad, everything changes, he said. You start living more for your children than you do for yourself. Green said he enjoys seeing his children have fun more than having fun himself. When you see them smile, your smile is like 100 times bigger, he said. There are three things Green said he tries to teach his children: To have good values and be fair, to treat other people with respect and to be appre ciative of what they have. Although he said each of his chil drens births have been the defining moments of his life, his second most enjoyable memory is their annual camping trip. In a few weeks, the Green family will be traveling to the Florida Keys to camp on the beach, lobster gig, snor kel and spend quality time together. I really like just spending time with my dad, said Greens 11-year-old daughter Kyndall. Her brother Trenton, 7, agreed and said he loves playing baseball and going swimming with his dad. Trenton also said he is thankful for his dad, to which Green responded, Well, hes getting a bike today.Chris Hatrick For Chris Hatrick, fatherhood is all about the mile stones. Your proudest moment is when your kids are born, he said. Thats the biggest thing, and then you go through the milestones. His 15-year-old daughter Hannah is just learning to drive, which he considers a pretty exciting marker. I love getting to teach her and seeing her develop, Hatrick said. The older they get the less and less direct ing you have to give them. So for me right now, thats the greatest thing. He said he sees being a father as really just a pride thing. You are constantly watching them set goals and accomplish them, he said. You get to watch them move on in their lives and see what they make of themselves, he said. Hatrick said that because he wants the best for his daughter and his son Mitchell, he does his best to pro vide for them. You have to provide the best to give them the best opportunity to make the most of their lives, he said. Hannah said she thinks her father has done just that.He really cares about me being cultured, she said. Im very cultured musically and we always try a lot of new foods. Hannah said that because of her dad, she has learned much about life. She thinks its really important that he doesnt shelter her, she said. Hes very open-minded and I enjoy that a lot, she said. And on top of that, hes always supportive of me. Hatrick said he has many hopes for his two children: I hope that they love what they do, that they get to experience parenthood and the joys of that, and that they have long lives and they are very productive, he said. I just hope they do something big with their life.Johnathan Rodgers Johnathan Rodgers became a father just three weeks ago, when his daughter Addison was born. After having his first child, he said things have begun to change for him. Shes just pretty much the most precious thing in my life, he said. Shes like a little baby doll. As he looked at his daughter, he explained that being a father isnt just having children, it is teaching them. You have to teach them to be good people, and be good to other people, Rodgers said. He said that as a father he feels a responsibility to raise her right. This means teaching them right from wrong and how to do things, he said. Of all the dreams a father can have for his daughter, Rodgers said for him one thing stands out among the rest. I want her to be a good person all-around, he said. Really I just hope she grows up to be a better person than I am, he laughed. NAACP holds 32nd annual Freedom Fund Luncheon TONY BRITT/ Lake City ReporterBarbara Watson (left), a member of the Florida House of Representatives from Miami, receives a gift from Sheleda Mirra, secretary and ministerial sta ff member of the Columbia County branch of the NAACP. Watson was the guest speaker for the branch s 32nd annual NAACP Freedom Fund Luncheon Saturday at The Country Club of Lake City SNAPSHOTS OF DADContinued From 1A Photos by MEGAN REEVES/ Lake City ReporterMichael Green stands with his children Kyndall (11), Trenton (7) and Truett (1). Family friend Branson (8) is also pictured. Branch also gave awards to local sponsors. Chris Hatrick stands with his daughter, Hannah, 15. Johnathan Rodgers holds his newborn daughter Addison. When you see them smile, your smile is like 100 times bigger.  Michael Green, father of three Deadline to enter hogs into county fair is this FridayFrom staff reports The deadline for hogs to be entered into the Columbia County Fair is Friday, June 20 at 5 p.m. Children entering hogs to be judged must be between the ages of 8-18 and be enrolled in any Columbia County public or private school or in home school. All entries must be turned in to the Columbia County fairgrounds office or by calling 752-8822. The hog weigh-in is scheduled for July 12 from 8-10 a.m. Volunteer locally during the summerShands Lake Shore HospitalThe Auxiliary at Shands Lake Shore Hospital is looking for drivers for their golf cart. If you are 18 or older and would like a volunteer opportunity, consider driving the golf cart for 4 hours per week. Stop by the gift shop to pick up an application or call 386-292-8000 x 21216 to receive an application by mail.Hospice of Citrus and Nature CoastHospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast is searching for individuals who are interested in volunteering in the Suwannee, Columbia, Hamilton and Lafayette areas. Volunteers are needed to provide general office sup port and non-medical assistance to patients and their families. Hospice volunteers can provide services such as: telephone calls, socialization, light meal preparation, shopping or errands and staffing information booths at seasonal festivals. Specialized training will be provided. To volunteer contact Volunteer Manager Lynda Schladant at 386-755-7714 or email: lschladant@hospiceofcitrus.org.SHINELearn how to be a SHINE Volunteer in your com munity. SHINE volunteers offer free counseling and assistance to Florida Seniors and those with disabilities, on topics related to Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care planning, prescription drug assistance, supple mental insurance and more. Volunteers are need ed in Columbia, Suwannee and Hamilton counties. Comprehensive three-day training will take place in Lake City on March 25-27. Costs for transportation are reimbursed and meals provided. Call 1-800-262-2243 for more information and application.

Page Editor: Tim Kirby, 754-0421 LAKE CITY REPORTER SPORTS SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 3B LAKE CITY BABE RUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONS ROOKIE: Pool winners go to state Continued From Page 1B COURTESYGiebeig Family Medicine was Lake City Babe Ruth Baseba ll 12U champion in 2014. Team members are (front row, from left) Cooper Brasfield, Darren Eubank and Kyler McClean. Second row (from left) are Sam Abott, Zach Abott, Lane Albritto n, Coyle Giebeig, Morgan Hoyle and Trey Houk. Back row coaches (from le ft) are Shane Eubank, Jamie Albritton and Peter Giebeig. Not pictured is John Saucer. COURTESYLake City Industries was Lake City Babe Ruth Baseball 10 U champion in 2014. Team members are (front row, from left) Camdon Frier, Danny Rowl and, Ty Jackson and Joel Brennan. Second row (from left) are Mason Gray, Kad e Jackson, Travis Matthews, Ty Floyd and Josh Kasper. Back row coaches (from left) a re Keith Jackson, Kevin Gray and Matt Frier. Not pictured are Austin McInnis, Austin Reaves an d Adeon Farmer. COURTESYHealth Center of Lake City was Lake City Babe Ruth Baseba ll 8U champion in 2014. Team members are (front row, from left) Tyson Yaxley, Jacob Bur ch, Wyatt Hudson, Braiden North and Tyler Boston. Second row (from left) are Ryan Cole N orris, Riley Law, Brett Jones and Logan Brooks.Back row coaches (from left) are Kevon Jon es, Tommy Boston and Drew Law. Not pictured are Travis Hoyle and Elyjah Jones. COURTESYJW Weaponry was Lake City Babe Ruth Baseball 6U champ ion in 2014. Team members are (front row, from left) Eli Umstead, Madden Mann, Kayden Ches hire, Jackson Woodley and Ayden Roush. Second row (from left) are coach John Wood ley, Bridger Ray, Raelyn Wehinger, Koy Frier, Ashton Giddens, Kade Frier an d Ian McMillian. Back row coaches (from left) are Matt Frier, John McMillian, Caleb U mstead, Cov Woodley and Kevin Cheshire. community. It puts Lake City on the map. The 2014 tournament has a field of 40 all-star teams in three divisions  26 in A, 16 in B and eight in Small League. Teams are divided into 12 brackets and face each other in pool play. The win-ning teams qualify for state and there also are at-large possibilities. Lake City Purple is the local entry in the A Division and Lake City Gold is the entry in the B Division. Fort White has a team in the Small League Division. The players are all-star selections from the regular season. We dont like to say A and B, Langley said. It is just that we have enough for two teams, so we use our league colors of purple and gold. Typically, the older players who will be moving up are in the A Division. Potential Lake City players for the machine pitch tournament are based on performances throughout the spring season. Managers and coaches evaluate players after each game, Langley said. That is the determining factor that allows us to note play-ers who have shined in their age division. At the end of the season there is a nominating process then voting on who are on the teams. Langley said concessions are a big money-maker for the league. Stephen Davis heads up a crew that does all the cooking and selling. The Tourist Development Council waives its field-use tournament fees for the Rookie Qualifier and the county does the mainte-nance work. Obviously, without the community and parent support none of this would be possible, Langley said. We are a true baseball family. There is a second Rookie Qualifier in Ocala, which alternates weeks each year with Lake City. The Ocala tournament was last week. Lucas has a coaches meeting planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Babe Ruth Baseball meeting room. Round robin pool play is Thursday, Friday and Saturday. One-loss runners-up will play on Sunday to deter-mine at-large state berths. Several counties surrounding Columbia have teams in the tournament. The list of teams by divisions with Thursdays game schedule follows. Q 9 a.m.  Okeeheelee vs. Winter Park (A), Orange Park vs. Palatka (A), San Jose vs. Lake City (A), Union County vs. Lutz (A); Q 10:30 a.m.  Santa Fe vs. South Lakeland (A), Chiefland vs. Sanford (A), Callaway vs. Acreage (A), Flagler vs. Atlantic Beach (A); Q Noon  Suwannee vs. Eagle Lake (A), North Brandon vs. Palm Beach Gardens (A), Ft. Caroline Lightning vs. Flagler (B), Orange Park vs. Ponte Vedra (B); Q 1:30 p.m.  Ft. Caroline Thunder vs. Oakleaf (A), Mandarin vs. Madison (A), Middleburg vs. Suwannee (B), San Jose vs. Fort Caroline Thunder (B); Q 3 p.m.  Marietta vs. Middleburg (SL), CKAA vs. Branford (SL), Atlantic Beach Waves vs. South Lakeland (B), Julington Creek vs. Atlantic Beach Suns (B); Q 4:30 p.m.  Bradford vs. Okeeheelee (A), Ponte Vedra vs. Orange Park (A), Bradford vs. Santa Fe (B), Lake City vs. Lutz (B); Q 6 p.m.  Santa Fe vs. Winter Park (A), Chiefland vs. Palatka (A), Fort White vs. Gilchrist (SL), Normandy vs. Hamilton County (SL).3BSPORTS

PAGE 14

4B LAKE CITY REPORTER SPORTS SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 Page Editor: Brandon Finley, 754-04204BSports utdoors 360 A fishing marathon I ts 3:15 a.m. and I had just fallen asleep maybe three hours earlier. For an insomniac like myself, this may equate to 53 minutes of actual sleep. Its tournament day; so I wasnt tired, I was wired. Just 5 hours and 225 miles earlier Jonathan Allen and I arrived in St. Pete from Lake City to spend the night with my brother in route to our final destination  the Sam Crosthwait shotgun start at the mouth of the Manatee River. We arrived at Tournament Captain Josh Biblers house about 4 a.m. and immediately started loading. Typically wed fish six guys in the inshore tournament, spread out across a flat like we were running a Billy Donovan full-court press, jump in the water and wade-fish for the next 15 hours. Josh prefers less people on the boat and likes to run and gun. That meant wed be primarily fishing from the boat, and running from North Tampa Bay to south of Sarasota Bay. Josh fishes out of a 24-foot 2013 Pathfinder with a 300-hp Yamaha thats tricked out with more gadgets than a James Bond movie. In terms of inshore fishing boats this was like having a brand new top-of-the-line Mercedes Benz fully loaded. I almost felt guilty getting a little dirt on it. You could tell it was a tournament day because we werent even close to the first boat, and there were multiple boats arriving at exactly the same time. Its almost like the first day of school; you can taste the nervous excitement in the air like salt spray over a bow. Speaking of salt spray, Mother Nature can be as cruel as King Joffrey from Game of Thrones. A late cold front days before dropped the water temperature 8-10 degrees in some places, and left behind a stiff 20-25-knot wind out of the north with a temperature in the upper 50s at night. The Crosthwait is not an artificial tournament. That means your 29 hours of consecutive fishing actually turns into about 40 hours. Why? Because, you have to catch live bait to have any shot at winning. That means 3 a.m. wake-up calls at the start of the tournament, and four hours scrubbing and cleaning the boat after the tournament from all of the chum, sea weed, bait, fish and other junk that gets accumulated. We made the 15-mile run to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the dark along with all of the other idiots (thats a term of endearment for fisherman), directly into sloppy 2-4-foot seas. We were stacked tighter than sardines along the span of the old skyway bridge while bobbing in the dark like a cork in a washing machine. Did I mention we were idiots? In order to get the best position we actually anchored off the stern, motored directly into the seas, and my job was to tie the bow off on the pier against the wind, seas, and tide. I reached up, waited for a nice swell, and extended my arm upwards. I reached to a point that my favorite watch of all time, a Gravitron Reactor, clipped the pier, hit the clasp, and splash. Have you ever seen something you love, and that your wife has no idea how much it costs, fall to the bottom of the ocean? Its painful.Ten minutes after this snafu we were getting bait, Kyle Dawson (fourth team member) made a cast with his 12-foot cast net, lost his balance from the waves, and followed his net into the water. Keep in mind the Skyway isnt your neighborhood pool with a few beach balls; its loaded with big sharks, some of which would make Kyle a 240-pound snack. Luckily, he not only knew how to swim, but he also was able to keep the cast net on his wrist while managing to not drown, or get eaten. At this point you might as well have pitched a tent on the circus that had become Team Outdoors360. After Kyle dried off in the brisk 59-degree air, and I recovered from the sadness of my lost watch, we topped off the live well. For all of our good intentions and plans, Mother Nature took away plans 1-4, and we were left scrambling. At 7:14 a.m. we had one plan, at 7:17 we changed it, at 7:22 we went back to the 7:14 plan, and then at 7:29 we decided to play for the win. We were going to head into the teeth of the wind and waves (again) and go for the win. We dipped under the Skyway (again) on our way north and officially began our tournament. To be continued ...Q Rob Chapman IV is a tournament winning angler and outdoorsman from Lake City. Hes an award winning marine artist, a graduate of Florida Gateway College and of Jacksonville University. He is currently the Coordinator of Marketing, Web, & Graphics Production at FGC, and is active both in the outdoors and designing for outdoors companies throughout the world. Hed love to hear from you! Send your reports, photos, and articles to rob@outdoors360.com .PHOTO COURTESY ROB CHAPMANJayse Allen Brinkley with a mackerel on Big Bend Adv entures. ABOVE: Scott and Tracy Mathews with a 25-inch Horseshoe Beach trout.LEFT: Jennifer Bedenbaugh shows off a recent catch from the Gulf of Mexico. OUTDOORS 360 Rob Chapmanrob@outdoors360.com PHOTO COURTESY ROB CHAPMANRob Chapman with a 35-inch, 14.5-pound snook from his l ast fishing tournament. PHOTO COURTESY ROB CHAPMAN PHOTO COURTESY ROB CHAPMAN

PAGE 15

1CBIZ FRONT Lake City Reporter Week of Sunday, June 8-14, 2014 www.lakecityreporter.com Section C Columbia, Inc. Your marketplace source for Lake City and Columbia County 1CColumbia Inc. NEW! $ 10 95 $ 10 95 FT. WHITE 7905 S.W. Hwy 27 corner of Hwy. 27 & Hwy. 47 inside the B&B Food Store 497-1484 CARRY-OUT ONLY LAKE CITY 5735 SW State Rd. 247 corner of SR 242 & SR 247 inside the B&B Food Store 752-3111 CARRY-OUT ONLY LAKE BUTLER 280 West Main St. next to TD Bank 496-2878 CARRY-OUT ONLY LIVE OAK 6852 Suwanee Plaza Ln. In Walmart Plaza 330-0331 CARRYOUT O NLY LAKE CITY 857 S.W. Main Blvd. in Lake City Plaza 755-7050 WE DELIVER! 40692 LCR 6/8/14 Plus sales tax. Expires in 30 Days. Plus sales tax. Expires in 30 Days. Plus sales tax. Expires in 30 Days. $ 7 99 8 THICK slices, with our signature Free Flavored Crust! 2-Toppings $ 19 99 $ 13 95 FAMILY MEAL Large 2 Topping Pizza, 3 Cheezer Bread with Dipping Sauce Plus a 2-Liter Plus sales tax. Expires in 30 Days. Lunch Plus A Pepsi Each $ 5 DOUBLE UP Two Large 2-Topping Pizzas PLUS a 2-Liter FREE FLAVORED PIZZA CRUST LA O A O A L A A Foreign Trade Zone in the works By EMILY STANTON estanton@lakecityreporter.com N ew economic opportunities from foreign importers might be on the horizon for Columbia County now that Plum Creeks North Florida Intermodal Park has the opportunity to become a Foreign Trade Zone for Jaxport. An influx of interna tional trade is expected in 2015 when expansion of the Panama Canal is completed. North Florida Intermodal Park was creat ed to support the increased freight traffic. Once a company becomes an end-user at the park, it can opt to become a Foreign Trade Zone Magnet Site and take advatage of streamlined customs clearance, thus operating more efficently. A foreign trade zone, or FTZ, is a secured site within the United States but technically considered outside the jurisdiction of U.S. Customs. Site status at Intermodal Park could mean jobs, growth. ZONE continued on 2C FILE Greg Galpin (center), Plum Creek senior planning manager, fields questions during a tour of the North Florida Intermodal Park east of Lake City during a quarterly stakeholder meeting. The park now has the opportunity to be designated a Foreign Trade Zone for Jaxport, which would bring tax and tariff advan tages. Local officials say the designation could means jobs and growth for Columbia County.

4C LAKE CITY REPORTER BUSINESS WEEK OF SUNDAY, JUNE 8-14, 2014 4CBIZ Rockford Realty Group is pleased to announce that Jan Messer has joined their team! Jan is a native of Lake City and a 10-year veteran in the real estate business. She brings with her expertise and commitment, and takes great pleasure in helping home buyers and sellers achieve their desired goals. After all; theres no place like home! Rockford Realty Group is growing! New VP of Development at Haven From staff reports Haven Hospice welcomes Bill Garrett, who has accepted the position of vice pres ident of business development. Garrett will lead the organizations business devel opment, communications and marketing initiatives. I believe I can put my proven team building skills and relationship sell ing expertise to good use for Haven Hospice, said Garrett who is a resident of Orange Park. Garretts 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry includes a recent focus on a neuroscience spe cialty as a district sales manager with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. In this position he also trained, directed and hired a new specialty sales team for Florida, Georgia and Alabama. He has more than 15 years of experi ence managing regional sales territories for national pharmaceutical companies including Upjohn, Schering Plough and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. Garrett has managed multi-state and national sales teams of up to 30 staff, overseen contract ing with payer groups and built a national sales compensation plan. Bills expertise lies in building busi ness development teams from the ground up, developing successful strategies and leading teams to exceed goals, said Haven Hospice President Tim Bowen. We are excited to have him join us and lead our corporate-wide efforts to engage the healthcare community and raise awareness of the programs and services Haven offers patients and fami lies. Haven Hospice, whoch has a location in Lake City, is a not-for-profit community hospice organization providing services since 1979 and licensed in Florida since 1980. Garrett From staff reports The American College of Health Care Administrators honored Bette ForshawCarlson, Administrator of Baya Pointe Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lake City, with the 2014 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award. The leadership award was celebrated dur ing the awards luncheon at ACHCAs 48th Annual Convocation and Exposition in Las Vegas recently. Two hundred and seventy six administrators were awarded leadership awards nationally, 42 of which were at the awards luncheon. Mrs. ForshawCarlson was one of 234 receipts who received the Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award with virtual recognition. Based on the premise that facility excellence is a reflection of leadership excellence, this award rec ognizes the administrator of record who provided that leadership through out the award year. Eligibility for this award is based on three years of skilled nursing facility survey data, including the Health, Fire (Life Safety), and Complaint Surveys, as well as top quartile per formance on designated Quality Measures. The criteria also included an 80 percent or greater facil ity occupancy and a three year avoidance of a Special Focus Facility status. This prestigious award is made possible with the support of eHealth Data Solutions. This award is in mem ory of Eli Pick, who was a consummate member of ACHCA, dedicated to advancing professionalism and leadership in long term care. Founded in 1962, the American College of Health Care Administrators is the only professional associa tion devoted solely to meet ing the professional needs of todays long term care administrators and execu tives. Focusing on advanc ing leadership excellence, ACHCA provides profes sional education and cer tification to administrators from across the spectrum of long term care. Forshaw-Carlson of Baya Pointe receives ACHCA Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award Forshaw-Carlson Plum Creek scholarship is awarded to CHS grad From staff reports Plum Creek has award ed a $1,000 scholarship to Columbia County high school student Anna Trippensee. Since 2007, Plum Creek has annually awarded scholarships to exempla ry high school seniors who plan to contin ue their educa tion after gradu ation. The scholarships recog nize students who have excelled in the areas of academics, school and community activities, and overall achievement in their high school careers. Anna is a graduate of Columbia High School and will attend Florida Gateway College in the fall. While in high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society and the National Beta Club. Most notably, she was salutatori an of her senior class. Anna is the daughter of Aaron and Andrea Trippensee. This year, Plum Creek awarded 121 scholarships to high school seniors around the country, total ing $149,000. In Florida, 12 students were awarded 2014 Plum Creek scholar ships, totaling $12,000. Plum Creek is among the largest and most geograph ically diverse private land owners in the nation with approximately 6.8 million acres of timberlands in for est ecosystems across the northern and southeastern United States. The company also oper ates wood products mills in the Northwest. As the company cele brates its 25th anniver sary as a publicly traded corporation, it continues to manage our working forests and lands using sustainable practices to benefit Plum Creeks many stakeholders, according to a company news release. Our talented employees work together to create shareholder value, serve as stewards of the environ ment, make wood products for everyday use, and build strong communities, the release said. Trippensee Stealth cellphone towers on the rise By BARBARA RODRIGUEZ Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa One might be hidden in a cross on a church lawn. Others are disguised as a cactus in the desert, a silo in farm country or a palm tree reaching into a sunny sky. The goal is always the same: concealing the tall, slender cellphone towers that most need but few want to see in their neighborhoods. As telecommunications companies fill gaps in their networks, many have sought to camouflage the ungainly outdoor equipment that carries the nations daily supply of calls, texts and data. Its another way the industry is evolving to meet the demands of consumers who insist on ever-increas ing amounts of wireless information but wont toler ate large antennas looming over their homes, parks and other beloved sites.

PAGE 19

I n Florida, the tomato is the most important commercially grown vegetable crop. This sun-lov er is also the most popular vegetable grown in home gardens. Who doesnt antic ipate biting into their first vine-ripened tomato of the season? Many home gardeners experience problems with growing tomato plants, and this is very frustrating, given our love of toma toes. The UF/IFAS Extension office in Columbia County receives many questions concern ing problems with tomato plants. Unfortunately, there are quite a few insect pests, diseases and disorders that affect whether a ripe tomato will even make it to your plate. Common pests that may visit your tomato plants are the whitefly, aphid, leafminer, stinkbug, looper, and hornworm. Worms will chew out holes or areas in leaves, stems or fruit. Aphids and tiny whiteflies remove juices from young leaves, which will appear yellowed. Leafminers feed in leaves and leave random tunneled markings. Disfigured and spotted fruits are often caused by juice-sucking stinkbugs. As one client recently discovered, visiting birds enjoy taste-testing gar den tomatoes. Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, sprays work well to control worms. Insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils are some safe products that can be used on many pests, but they shouldnt be used in really hot weather. Many pyrethroid insecticides are also labeled for control of insects on tomatoes. Always read the label and follow the instructions given. Some of the most serious diseases of tomatoes are early and late blights, leaf spots, wilts, and viruses. Leaf spots can usually be con trolled with sprays or dusts. Wilts and viruses, however, must be controlled by other means such as the use of resistant varieties. Look for letters following the tomato variety name on seed packs or plant tags. More letters mean more resistances to problems. The letters VFN, for instance, refer to that varietys resistance to ver ticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, and nematodes. There are tomato prob lems that have nothing to do with pests. Blossom-end rot is a nutritional disorder signally calcium deficient soil. Blossom drop is usually a problem of too much of something: low or high night temperatures, nitrogen, shade, water. Other common tomato disorders appearing in home gardens include fruit cracking, blotchy ripen ing, sunscald, yellow-shoul der and herbicide injury. Disorders are usually asso ciated with nutrition, water or temperature. For more information, read the UF/IFAS publication Tomatoes in the Florida Garden at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ vh028 or call the UF Master Gardeners at 752-5384. In Florida, tomatoes are not considered to be a summer crop. As nighttime tempera tures climb above 70 degrees, tomatoes stop setting fruit. Cherry tomatoes provide the best results during the sum mer heat. Summer is also a stressful time for our lawns. Attend UF/IFAS Extension presentations to learn how to maintain your lawn, grow grass in shady spots, and identify those pests that are trying to take over. Fort White Library on June 19 at 5:45. Main Library, downtown Lake City on June 21 at 1:30. These classes are free and open to everyone. LIFE Sunday, June 15, 2014 www.lakecityreporter.com Section D Lake City Reporter Story ideas?Contact Editor Robert Bridges754-0428rbridges@lakecityreporter.com By AVALYN HUNTERSpecial to the Reporter FORT WHITE T he love of reading is one of the best gifts a child can receive. But while parental support of a childs reading is crucial, in todays busy world, par ents need all the help they can get. Thats why the Fort White Branch Library is hosting Fizz Boom Read!, a summer series of chil drens programs designed to encour age summer reading and use of the public library. About 25 children in grades K-5 attended the program opening, which took place on June 9. While a scheduled appearance by Grammy-nominated childrens recording artist Anna Moo didnt go as planned, librarian Patti Street was there to provide information on the program, hand out bags with pro gram materials, and play Hangman with her enthusiastic audience. Children can participate in the program in two ways. One is by checking off reading time on a chart; children can mark off one box for every 30 minutes they spend read ing. (For children too young to be able to read, time spent by a parent or guardian in reading to them counts.) When the entire chart is filled in, the child can return the chart to the library to receive a small prize. Attending library programs will also be rewarded. Each time a child attends a library childrens program between now and the programs end on July 18, he or she will be given a sticker to put on an attendance chart. Any child who collects stick ers for 10 programs and turns the attendance chart in will be eligible for a prize drawing. Both reading and attendance charts can be picked up from library staff. Currently, the Fort White Branch Library is scheduled to offer the fol lowing childrens programs: LEGO builders will meet on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. The program is recommended for children age 6 and older. Children must be able to handle standard-sized LEGOs. A story and craft hour will be held on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. This program is recommended for chil dren age 7 and older. Music Mania will take place on Thursdays at 3:00 p.m., giving chil dren ages 1-5 the opportunity to sing and dance to kid-friendly music. Special programs will be held on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Check the Columbia County Public Librarys website or call the branch library at 497-1108 for details. All programs are free of charge.Our goal this year is to provide programs appealing to a wider range of age groups and get more children involved, Street said. Keep check ing our website for updates, and well see you at the library! W hen I set out to plan the road trips that Sue Towns and I take, we typically already have our locations and destina tions in mind. I begin by not only referring to my book, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die  in the USA and Canada, but I take it old school and use my latest Road Atlas too. Once Ive mapped out a tentative route, I then use technology and go to MapQuest to estimate our travel times. This helps me to determine how many days its going to take for us to get where we are going. We try to keep the driving to around 300 miles per day. Thats an average of 5 hours driving time and gives us 3-4 hours for all kinds of stops  bath room, photo ops, trails to explore, sights to see, or simply to get gas. We also dont like to drive into the night in unfamiliar territory. Now that Ive deter mined how many days well be gone and where our approximate stopping points will be, I begin to look for lodging. We have had some experiences worth talking about in this area; some diamonds in the rough and some not so much but turned out to be so funny, we couldnt help but share, like the Big Texan in Amarillo. In the past, weve had reward points of some kind, that on one trip we had 8 of 11 nights covered with points. Now thats the way to go. But not so in planning this next trip. Some of the important factors we consider when choosing where to stay are cost, of course, but also location and whether or not breakfast is includ ed. Which, if you are staying in a chain hotel, is almost always the case now a days. Location is important because after driving all day, wed really like to walk to dinner. We typically look for a downtown location where it might be busy and safe for us to walk around. Safety and time are the reasons we book our stays in advance instead of flying by the seat of our pants and stopping when we feel like it. Next on my list is to research and peruse some of the areas along the route. We like to anticipate what we might see, if that makes any sense. Some of the things we are always interest ed in are wineries and breweries, hiking trails, waterfalls and any other odd sort of history along the way. For example, when in Winslow, Arizona (I know where your mind is already going and you are right). I stood on the cor ner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see / Its a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin down to take a look at me. If youve ever been, youll know there is a mural painted on the wall on that corner of a girl in a flatbed Ford. Clearly, we had to stop there for a photo op. And so, with a folder prepared for each day with hotel confirmations, maps, directions pam phlets and factoids about places along the way, our trip begins. TRAVEL TALES Sandy Kishton Q Sandy Kishton is a freelance travel writer who lives in Lake City. Contact her at skishton@comcast.netTools and tips to plan your next road trip FIZZ BOOM READ! AVALYN HUNTER/ Special to the ReporterLibrarian Patti Street plays hangman with children at the reading pr ogram.Fort White library is getting youngsters excited about books. Keeping tomato plants healthy COURTESYElmer Elkins, Lake City, stands with his prize tomato plant, which was purchased at a local feed store. He uses aged horse manure and an occasional application of 10-10-10 during the growing season. GARDEN TALK Nichelle Demorestdndemorest@u.edu Q D. Nichelle Demorest is a horticulture agent with the Co-lumbia County Extension of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Send your pictures Send us your pictures of garden dcor such as stat ues, gazing globes, bench es, etc. What decorative items adorn your outdoor garden rooms? If you were recently engaged or have an upcoming wedding and would like to announce it in the Lake City Reporter stop by RXURKFHDW(DVW'XYDO6WUHHWWROORXWan announcement form.

Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 LAKE CITY REPORTER LIFE SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 3D DEAR ABBY: I have an attractive friend who was bypassed for a front-office pro motion. Miranda is pleasant, clean, efficient, energetic and had the same qualifications as the individual who was promot ed. A management team mem ber confided that the reason for Mirandas lack of advancement might be due to the numerous tattoos -difficult to cover -on her arms and wrists, which the manager said isnt the image the business wants to convey. Is this discrimination? I think its unfair because Miranda is a good worker. She keeps asking me if I have any ideas why she was bypassed. Should I tell her? I dont want to violate the managers faith in my confidentiality, even though I will be retiring soon.  LOYAL FRIEND IN MASSACHUSETTS DEAR LOYAL FRIEND: Your friends obvious tattoos prevent her from presenting the corporate image your employer prefers be conveyed to clients who visit the front office. To my knowledge, people with tattoos are not members of a protected class, which would put an employer at risk for a discrimination suit. Because Miranda continues to ask why she wasnt pro moted, and you have nothing to lose by telling her what you were told, I think you should level with her. She might prefer to work at a com pany where her chances for advancement arent stymied. DEAR ABBY: I have two children who are not yet old enough for school. My mother-in-law watches them for free a few times a week. She has been trying to quit smoking for the last couple of years. Nine out of 10 times when I take my children to her, she asks me to bring her a pack of cigarettes. I feel obligated to do it because she watches my children for free. I know Im not doing her any favors, and I have asked others how I should handle this. They say I should make excuses like, I dont have any money with me, or, I forgot to get them. I figure theres only a few more years before she wont have to watch my kids, so after that, Ill never feel obligated to bring her smokes again. Any advice?  SMOKED OUT IN WISCONSIN DEAR SMOKED OUT: Yes. Rather than lie to your mother-in-law, the next time she asks you to bring her a pack when you drop off the kids, summon the courage to tell her no because it isnt healthy for your children. DEAR ABBY HOROSCOPES ARIES (March 21-April 19): Dont settle for less. Find solutions to whatever is dragging you down. Its up to you to make things happen. Change can be good, but make sure your motives are good. Running away isnt your style, so face facts and do your thing. ++ TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Listen carefully and wager the pros and cons of every sugges tion made. You have to follow the path that best suits you. Updating your look or making home improvements will lift your spir its. Offering a service from your home will bring in extra cash. +++++ GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Reevaluate your relationships. Dont let anyone entice you into doing something that attacks your integrity. Make changes that are based on honesty and trust. A secret is best kept that way. +++ CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take part in a community event that explores different cultural backgrounds or takes you on a creative tour of whats available in your neighborhood. Its time to participate and meet new people who share your interests. Love is in the stars. +++ LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Go somewhere interesting or engage in activities that will allow you to spend time with unusual people. Exploring the possibilities and considering the directions that you can go will inspire you to take action. +++ VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put greater effort into the way you look while expanding your skills and talents. Being at your very best will help boost your confi dence and give rise to interesting encounters. Love is highlighted and romantic suggestions will be inviting. +++++ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Say little and do a lot. Follow your heart and set up plans to be with someone you enjoy spending time with. Make choices that will encourage you to say yes to the changes that will make your life fulfilling. +++++ SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You can make changes at home, but stay within your finan cial means. Explore places that offer an insightful look into your community surroundings. Make a decision regarding a relationship, and follow through. ++ SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make a residential move or renovate or redecorate. A change will do you a world of good, but stick to what you can afford to avoid added stress. An employment opportunity will tempt you. Update and send off your resume, but dont exagger ate. ++++ CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Spend time with the ones you love and you will build a strong home base. Beautifying your surroundings or adding something to your home that will encourage having fun should be considered. Love is in the stars. +++ AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Speak up, offer suggestions and consider new opportunities. Invest time in something you think can net you extra cash. Do your best to make improvements that will entice those around you to follow suit. Avoid impulse pur chases and risky ventures. +++ PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get involved in a good cause. What you do to help others will be recognized and rewarded. Keep in mind that its your time, expertise and knowledge that is needed, not a cash donation. Showing off your talents will lead to an interesting proposal. ++++ Abigail Van Burenwww.dearabby.com THE LAST WORD Eugenia Word Obvious tattoos keep friend out of front office at work Q Write Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. CELEBRITY CIPHER BIRTHDAYS Brian Jacques, 75; Jim Belushi, 60; Julie Hagerty, 59; Eileen Davidson, 55; Helen Hunt, 51; Courteney Cox, 50; Ice Cube, 45; Leah Remini, 44; Neil Patrick Harris, 41; Elizabeth Reaser, 39; Tim Lincecum, 30; Nadine Coyle, 29; Damian Lillard, 24; Alice Englert, 20; Dani Cimorelli, 14; North West, 1. SUNDAY CROSSWORD STRIKE ONEBY PATRICK BERRY / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ No. 0608 ACROSS1 Swabbys need4 Brainless11 Cowboy-to-lady address15 Early teachings19 Triumphant shout20 Sucker?21 Capital with more than 300 lakes within its limits22 Skirt feature23 Symbols of happiness Transmissions with colons, dashes and parentheses?25 Bias26 Tiny bit27 Sedgwick of The Closer28 Cartoonist Keane29 Sun Tzu tome Madame Tussauds specialty?32 Has-___34 NC-17 assigner: Abbr.36 Paper exchanged for coin37 Poetic tribute38 Star Wars character Where droids go to dry out?42 Gibbons and siamangs Mountaintop thats not the very top?46 Familiar episodes47 The Phantom of the Opera49 Wine bottle residue50 Composer Bartk51 Gelling agents52 Antacid ingredient54 Are able, archaically55 Caribbean exports56 Pageant Circumstances that render someone attractive?59 Climbers challenge60 Wedding-gown material61 Take a load off62 Abductors in a tabloid story65 Mohs-scale mineral67 Hill raiser68 Hosp. procedure69 Oxford teachers71 Bring back on73 Four-time pro hoops M.V.P.76 Setting for 76-Down77 English privy78 Pine, e.g. Dinosaur that never goes out of style?81 Like un millonario82 Black85 Like some bunnies and hounds86 Paranormal Activity creature87 Miss, in Meuse: Abbr.88 Youre not welcome!90 Jewish homeland91 Vision Quest co-star Matthew92 Studio substitute Squarish bed?95 Member of a certain 1990s-2000s rock band Censor unhappy with Family Guy and Glee, maybe?97 Mo. for campaign surprises98 Give a piece to99 [I am SHOCKED!]101 Picnic playwright102 Childrens song Ignore the rest of the lunch I brought and just eat the fish?106 Like107 Warner Bros. cartoon company111 Aforementioned112 Italys San ___113 After-dinner display One way to see a pies filling?117 Trouble-free place118 Compass tracings 119 Put out120 Don Ho played it121 Bruce of Nebraska122 Exam administered qtly.123 Youll see a lot of them124 Struck out, as one letter in each of this puzzles theme answers DOWN1 Costume accessory2 I wasnt expecting that!3 Modest poker holding4 Suffix with mass or dismiss5 Futon alternatives6 Its only a scratch!7 Harlequin ___ (multicolored gem)8 Odd mannerism9 High dudgeon10 Jai alai basket11 Particle12 Big holding in Risk13 Order in the court?14 Some Latin inscriptions15 Like16 Use dynamite on, as a safe17 Strongholds18 Studies intently24 Loves ___ Lost30 Villain of 200131 Lords Prayer starter33 Years on end34 Dead storage35 North or west38 Dormant Turkish volcano39 Dependable patron40 Walk all over41 Unpopular 1773 legislation43 Middlemarch author44 With 103-Down, Hurlyburly star45 Tapered off48 Ringed set52 Less forgiving53 Hard or soft subj.54 2000 CBS premiere56 Loudspeaker sound57 Like some roads and roofs58 A-listers63 Like some poker games64 Carnival cooler66 Political commentator Liz68 Singer/actress Rita70 Tulsa resident72 Brown greenery?73 Dribble74 Sales employee75 Aw, come on!76 Sitcom set during the 1860s79 Amorphous lump80 Babes in the woods81 1988 Schwarzenegger action film82 Raised on books?83 Sea wall?84 Golden ager86 Snoop ___88 Like some twins89 Non-fuel-efficient vehicles91 Mosque tower93 Cant Help Lovin ___ Man (Show Boat song)94 Psyche component96 Fishmongers cuts100 Funeral Blues poet103 See 44-Down104 Exercise venue, for short105 At sea106 Barbera d___ (red wine)108 Essence109 Cook up110 Kept in sight114 Ostrich lookalike115 Caesar on TV116 QB feats 1234567891011121314151617181920 2122 2324 2526 2728293031 323334353637 383940414243444546 47484950 51525354 5556 5758 596061626364 656667 686970 71727374757677 78798081 82838485 86 8788899091 9293949596979899100101 102103104105106107108109110 111112113114115116 117118119 120 121122123 124Online subscriptions: Todays puzzle and more than 4,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). ASFARSANROTCPULLER NAOMICLERICALUNIATE CHANGEOFPALACESOMUCHHALETRIAGETANSIDEA ORESANELEWINEYNETS RADIIIDEALSOFMARCH AGAINONENOEL CIRCUSTALENTLAOSHEE ACEANDEANSMATTERING BYGONEMOPYMAUPTO AFAREWELLTOALARMS SELFVINYUPLUSTER PRESELECTSRIBBONELL YESCONKCANALOFWORMS PONTPUNTOTAL SPRINGFALLINGYEAST CLANPUPALYALTAANEWRANKALLYSAMUELNOVA INDIANOFMALICEANDMEN PARENTMONTANANBEING TRYSTSBROSESSCRESS Answers to last Sundays Crossword.